Anything could happen
by Pegship
Summary: Goes off canon after 8x02. When Rick lands in the hospital after a traffic accident, he reminds Kate that anything can happen. "The best way to keep me safe, Kate, is to keep me close. Back to back, watching each other's six." Even while they're watching, they're racing to solve the puzzle of LokSat and Rick's lost summer.
1. Chapter 1

The only thing Kate Beckett was enjoying about becoming captain was that she was too busy to spend much time thinking about Castle, or about the LOKSAT case. Castle had apparently decided to give her a week before he started haunting the precinct; she'd seen neither hide nor hair of him, nor had any other contact.

Eight days into her new job, close to shift end, her phone rang, showing the number for Bellevue. Her cell phone, not her desk phone, and even as she responded with a sharp, "Beckett," she felt her pulse quickening.

"Katherine Beckett?"

"This is she."

"This is Bellevue Hospital Center, Emergency Department. A patient just came in who lists you as his emergency contact..."

* * *

It was a short trip, especially since she used lights and sirens; when she arrived in the ED she strode up to the desk and flashed her badge.

"Richard Castle?" she said briskly.

"D-4," said the woman behind the intake counter.

As she approached cubicle D-4 she was intercepted.

"Can I help you, ma'am?"

"Captain Beckett," Kate supplied. "I'm looking for Richard Castle - he was brought in by ambulance."

"Right - the cab accident. Let me see what's going on - I'm not sure he can give a lucid account."

"I'm not here for his statement," said Kate. "I'm his wife."

* * *

Castle had been wedged in the back seat of the cab, hurled to one side when the vehicle was t-boned at high speed by a hit-and-run driver. His lucidity was suspect not only because of injuries he sustained in the accident, but also due to the level of alcohol in his bloodstream.

"Typical lacerations and contusions, concussion, and a collapsed lung. Nothing broken," said the doctor. "And he's been in and out of consciousness; from what we can tell, his cognitive functions haven't been adversely affected."

 _Not by the trauma, anyway,_ thought Kate. Intoxication had never slowed down Castle's powers of speech.

Between Alexis' arrival, the doctor's report, forms, and eventually Martha (Alexis wouldn't text her until after her performance let out), it was well past midnight when Kate settled herself in a chair in the corner of Castle's room. He'd been unconscious since he was moved to this room, and after a while his redheads had kissed him good night and departed.

While Alexis was murmuring something into Castle's unheeding ear, Martha drew Kate aside.

"We should talk," she murmured. "Not here and now, but soon. I'll call you."

The three women had confined their conversation to the subject of the accident, and Kate had no doubt that Martha had a fair bit to say regarding her son's relationship with his wife. Kate was mulling over what that conversation might look like when she heard a monitor, softly beeping, pick up its pace. She looked over at Castle, just in time for his waking gaze to fall on her.

"Kate," he said. There was a happy tone in his voice, but the next moment, he said it again, more sorrowfully.

"Kate. What are you doing here?"

She moved to stand beside his bed, looking down at him.

"You were in an accident," she began.

Castle started to shake his head, grimaced, and then said, "I know. I know where I am, and why, and how lucky I am to have escaped a gruesome death. The staff here have been quite clear on that."

"I got a call," said Kate. "I'm your emergency contact, you know that."

"What I mean is, why are you here now?" Castle asked. "I can tell it's late, and there's nothing to do - Harriman said he'd come by tomorrow morning for my statement. I'm guessing Mother and Alexis went home? So why are you sitting here, Kate?"

She hadn't expected that question. Caught off-guard, she said, "Because - I'm your wife, and I love you."

After a long moment, Castle closed his eyes.

"Okay," he said. "You can go now."

"What?" Kate managed to keep her voice down, just barely. "You're _dismissing_ me?"

"You've done your duty," he said wearily. "You've checked the box. Your work here is done. Back to your real calling. Your top priority."

"Checked the - Castle, you're not a box on my to-do list," said Kate. "I love you. I was worried to death when I got that call, I've been here waiting for news, for you to wake up. I would've waited all night, if that's what it took."

"So for you, this crisis is over," said Castle. "For me - maybe you forget, for me, I'm still waiting for the day I get that call. The one that says, my wife was pushed off a bridge. My wife was shot and left for dead. My wife was killed in a car accident."

He had to stop for breath, tears starting to make their way down his cheek.

"That's the job," said Kate fiercely, defensively. "You knew that when you married me, the danger I walk into every single day. That has nothing to do with why I had to leave."

"I've lived with that every day," he replied. "I knew that. I get that. Until now, whatever happened to you would have been down to whatever evil force tried to take you out - a known quantity. But now - This time, Kate, I don't know what you're facing. Your own emotions? Your past? Something to do with that memo?"

He paused for breath again. This time Kate remained silent, pale, frozen by his words. _He doesn't know,_ she told herself. _He can't know._

"Whatever it is," said Castle, "if you have to face it alone, I will still be here to back you up. But if you won't even tell me what it is, you take away my right to decide for myself what to do - or not do. I did that to you once, and I swore, never again. I didn't expect you to turn around and do it to me."

Kate leaned closer, her own tears falling on his hospital gown.

"I don't have a deal with anyone," she told him. "There's no way I can keep you safe, except to keep away from you. You are the most precious thing in the world to me, Castle, and if anything happened to you - "

This time, she had to pause.

"But something has happened," said Castle quietly. "Things happen, every day. Sometimes they're accidents, sometimes deliberate. The best way to keep me safe, Kate, is to keep me close. Back to back, watching each other's six."

Kate thinks about Rita's words. _"Unlike McCord and her team, anybody who dies now? That blood is on you."_

She can't tell him that. She can't tell him anything, and the silence is killing her. She takes his hand in hers, leans down to kiss his face, and straightens up, preparing to leave.

"Do you mind - is it okay if I check in on you again?"

If he says no - she doesn't know what she'll do. But he says simply, "Any time, Kate."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hunt."

"Peck," said Rita into the phone. It was their code word, as well as a joke; she hoped he was smiling on the other end. She certainly wasn't.

"What's up, babe?" said Jackson Hunt. "You're early, for a change."

Rita replayed the last conversation she'd had with Kate Beckett, without mentioning names. Jack was silent throughout, and for moments after.

"You have her location," he said.

"Of course I do. I can't babysit her, though, you know where I'm headed. I just thought you should know, in case you want to keep an eye on him."

There was a low chuckle on the other end of the call.

"She doesn't need babysitting," he told her. "My son, on the other hand – he's brilliant, but he needs a handler. They're a perfect match."

"Which is why this move concerns me. I thought telling her to be careful who she took with her would make her, I don't know, slow down? Leave it in my hands? I certainly didn't expect her to leave him. What is she thinking?"

"She's not thinking," said Jack. "She's relied on her guts for so long, and they've gone into overdrive. She'll come back, when she realizes that the Lone Ranger m.o. won't work for her any more."

"I hope you're right. He's been bouncing around between his loft, the PI office, and the 12th; it looks like he can't decide whether to chase her or let it lie."

"He's not the kind to let it lie. You know that by now."

"Takes after his dad," said Rita without rancor. "Well, two nights ago he left his bar, stinking drunk, and the cab he got into was totaled five blocks later. He survived; the cabbie did not. I couldn't find any data on the cabbie – unfortunately, he's collateral damage. Hit-and-run driver has not been identified. Himself is in the hospital with a collapsed lung and miscellaneous other non-fatal injuries."

"He's got more lives than a cat."

"Also like his dad."

"Meow," and they both laughed at the incongruous sound of it. Jack went on, "So this is just a sitrep? No action requested?"

"No action. Just a sitrep, with bonus venting. I'll keep my ear to the ground, as best I can from a distance."

"So will I. She'll be fine – it's him I worry about. If his mother were still living at the loft – but no, it's his daughter there now, and she's cautious, but not cautious enough. Is the device we bugged in place? I can't check from here."

"It's there, unopened. My people will let me know as soon as a signal activates."

"Copy that. Hey, I better go. Keep me close."

"You bet, babe."

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Thank you kindly for your comments, follows, and faves. I don't usually reply to individual comments but I do read and appreciate them, and my PM box is always open if there's something about the story you'd like to discuss. Cheers._


	3. Chapter 3

It was three days before Kate found time - and nerve - to visit Castle in the hospital again. She'd been in and out of the loft, to pick up a few things of her own while Alexis was the only resident (and at a time when Alexis was absent).

Martha had come by the precinct, unusually subdued and obviously working hard to suppress her understandable curiosity about Kate's behavior. At the mention of Rick's previous divorces, Kate felt a shiver of alarm, deflected the subject, and was quickly summoned away on a case.

Now she found herself replaying the conversation in her head, over and over, and made up her mind to reach out to Martha for a longer talk. Meanwhile -

Kate poked her head into Rick's room just in time to see him swing his legs up onto the bed and lie back with a sigh. His color was good and, she noted, the IV had been removed from his arm. She stepped through the doorway and he looked up from adjusting the oxygen tube under his nose.

"As I live and breathe," he said with a hint of his usual humor. "Captain Beckett. What brings you to the land of the barely-living?"

"Making sure you're still living," she replied. "Contrary to rumor. You're off the IV?"

"Yep. There are no strings on me… well, except this oxygen feed. I just went for a walk around the ward without it and I need a fix." He leaned down to pull up the sheet and light blanket as far as his waist. "Really, Kate, what are you doing here?"

This time he sounded more puzzled than angry. A hopeful sign. She went over to sit in the chair next to the bed.

"Really, checking up on how you're doing," she said.

Rick took a deep breath.

"Listen, Kate, last time you saw me, I said some things that were really - uncalled for," he said in a low voice. "I was unkind, and ungrateful, not at my best."

"That goes for both of us."

"I'm not going to let the matter of your leaving drop," he went on. "I know there's something - probably a really big something - you're not telling me. But I didn't have to be such an ass about it."

"You were in pain, and hung over," she said gently. "Anyone would be an ass under those conditions."

"Hung over - you knew about that?"

"The doctor mentioned that your blood alcohol was, well, higher than it should have been. Says that's one of the reasons you weren't injured more seriously - your body was loose enough from the booze that you were tossed around rather than stiffened up."

Castle drew his hand over his face. "I was at the Old Haunt," he confessed. "And I knew I could get a cab home, so I might have had a few more shots than I should have."

Kate knew that Rick wasn't prone to binge, but she had a good idea as to the cause, this time. While she was trying to figure out how to respond Rick spoke up again.

"Hey," he said softly. "I didn't do this - get drunk and injured, just to get you to come home. That would work on paper, but it would be beyond stupid in real life. But this is what I meant when I said that anything can happen."

"I'm pretty tough, Castle," said Kate, "but even I can't stop a speeding car. You're right, things happen, and when we least expect it, but there are some things - " She chose her words carefully. " - Some things that we *can* prevent, if we act at the right time and in the right way."

"I couldn't stop you leaving."

"That's not what I mean."

"Then tell me what you mean," said Rick. "When I said if you have a problem, we have a problem, I mean it. You're part of me, Kate, and I'm part of you, and you can't just - cut me off like a limb and hope we can both heal."

That's exactly the problem, Kate thought. He is a part of me, a part that I refuse to lie to, so I decided to remove any temptation to tell him the truth. Remove myself, so I can at least say that he knows nothing about what I'm doing.

Her eyes were downcast, staring at her hands folded in her lap, her vision blurred with tears. She felt Rick's hand on her shoulder, sliding down to lie on her arm.

"You keep saying, 'it's not you, it's me,' Kate," he said quietly. "If you've learned anything about me in the last seven years, you know that whatever happens to you matters to me. Now, more than ever."

"And you know I feel the same way about you, babe," she told him. "Just - remember that, okay? Whatever happens."

If she stayed any longer, she knew, she'd give away far too much. He knew her tells, and their conversation in his office - she recalled now - hinted that he was already trying to figure out what was on her mind.

 _"_ _It's you. I've seen this before."_

Swiftly she rose, stooped to kiss his cheek, and left.


	4. Chapter 4

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"I thought they smelled bad on the outside."

"Next time, I get to pick the countersign," said Rita with a hint of an eyeroll in her voice.

"It's a classic."

"So are you. Lucy's in place and transmitting. Thought you might want to know."

"I take it he's out of hospital then? What are you hearing?"

"He got out yesterday. Mom brought him home, and Little Red has been hovering like an Apache."

"Lots of chatter, I bet."

"Out of those two, yeah. Him, not so much. Later in the day, though...the other two had to leave for the usual commitments, and Junior took to chatting with Lucy."

There was a snort of laughter on the other end of the line. "He'll talk to anything that can talk back. And some things that don't."

"He's spilling his guts to this one. It's - tough to hear. Good thing I've met the lady in question, or I'd just tell him to give it up as a bad life decision."

"He's all she's got, babe."

"Except she doesn't. She's out there with Loki, and she doesn't know the half of what that means. What the hell is himself going to be good for?"

"Getting fond of these two crazy kids, are you?"

There was a pause. Then -

"I know he's your son," said the woman quietly. "And I feel like, if I'd ever had kids, she could be a daughter of mine - but I'm not compromised, J. I can see how they got into this mess - I just can't see how they're going to get clear of it. And I don't just mean the mission."

"Well, let's sort out one mess and give them a chance to sort out the other. Meanwhile…"

* * *

Kate glanced at the caller ID on her phone and sighed. With relief or regret, she couldn't be sure, but she answered it anyway.

"Hey Lanie."

"I don't think Castle's accident was an accident."

Kate sat up a little straighter and frowned at the phone. "What did you just say?"

"I got a call from the ME, Carter, who processed the cab driver who was killed in the crash. This guy's even more meticulous than me, and he's not satisfied with the theory that the driver died as a result of injuries inflicted by the collision."

"What's his theory?"

"He's telling me that there was shrapnel in the victim's legs and torso. Something in that cab exploded, probably at the moment of impact with the speeder, probably something just under the hood on the driver's side."

"Has anyone examined the cab?"

"Not that I know of. You and I and Carter are the only ones who've heard this, and I'm keeping my notes under lock and key. How do you want to handle this?"

Kate said thoughtfully, "I'll put one of the boys on it. They need to step back and cool down, anyway. Splitting them up temporarily might be just the breathing space they need."

"Speaking of splitting up…"

"Nope," said Kate quickly. "If you're about to get me talking about me and Castle, I take the fifth. Not here, not now."

"Okay then, later, over a glass of wine?" Lanie prodded gently, "My place?"

"You know what, let's meet at that funky diner you like, the one that's right in the middle between your place and the precinct." Somehow, Kate wanted to keep anyone who might be onto her from learning who her friends were and where they lived. Or at least, keep them from following her there and taking hostages.

* * *

Later, settled into a booth with chipped formica and the best onion rings in the city, Lanie was unusually cautious.

"You don't have to talk about Castle if you really don't want to," she said. "As long as you can tell me you have no reason to press charges."

"Of course not. I love him, Lanie, and he loves me - he'd never - Besides, you know I could take him down."

Her light remark made them both smile. Then Lanie said, "So, what's the deal, Kate? Everything happening at once? Promotion, marriage, that thing that went down with those hit men?"

"What do you know about that?" Kate asked. She'd done her best to keep that story simple, at least publicly, but her friend was too sharp by half.

"They were after the new tech guy," Lanie said. "Vikram Singh? And for some reason, you were the backup he called in?"

"Yeah, he had some idea that my old team was connected to the case these guys were up against. He didn't want to go back to DC, so I suggested he test into the tech program here."

"He'd better be really good at what he does," said Lanie. "Tory's shoes are hard to fill." She fell silent for a moment, then said, "Are you going to tell Castle about the autopsy on the cab driver?"

Kate thought for a moment before replying, "I don't think so - not yet. Let's wait until the results come back from the vehicle."

 _I have a bad feeling about this_ , she added to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:** From the comments on this and on its spin-off, I feel I must clarify that neither story is canon compliant, only loosely based on the premise of the _ Castle _season 8 story arc - as seen thus far._

* * *

 _[Lucy: Begin replay of conversation between subjects "Little Red" and "Junior", date/time]_

LR: Hey Dad. Strawberry crepes? Ooh la la.

Jr: Felt like something sweet this morning. Coffee, tea, OJ? Here you go. Bon appetit.

(subjects eating breakfast)

LR: Dad, can I ask you something, about last summer?

Jr.: Hmm...sure...you can ask.

LR: You said you had a lot of theories about why you couldn't remember what happened.

Jr.: And you asked me which one scares me the most. Very astute. I still wonder whether I did something dark… (pause) I really, really hope I didn't kill anyone.

LR: Oh, Dad. (sound of LR moving to embrace Jr.)

Jr.: Thanks. (sniffles) Eat your crepe before it gets cold.

LR: You know, that would be really out of character for you.

Jr.: Eating crepes?

LR: Killing someone. You'd go to extremes to be sure you didn't cause anyone's death. _That_ would be in character.

Jr.: I have taught you well, young padawan. (pause) You know what else would be out of character? For me, anyway? I can't believe I didn't think of this before.

LR: What?

Jr.: What's my personal Holy Grail? What motivates me, as a writer, an investigator, a father?

LR: (hesitantly) Finding the story?

Jr.: Exactly. You and I spent some time last fall, trying to make sense of the few clues we had about where I'd been all that time. We never really came up with anything plausible.

LR: Until Jenkins told you that you were the one who insisted on having your memory "erased".

Jr.: And we had to take his word for it - but really, we have no corroborating proof that that's what really happened. If we assume that he was lying - that my memory was erased, not at my request, but someone else's -

LR: That makes more sense. You're right, Dad. We've been assuming you did something dire, something you couldn't tell anyone, something you couldn't bear to remember - but even if you did -

Jr.: I'd still want to -

LR & Jr. (unison): - know the story.

LR: Try this: imagine something you've actually done or experienced, that you remember happening, that was so wrong or so painful that you've never told anyone about it. (hastily) And don't say it out loud.

Jr.: Hmm…

LR: Well?

Jr.: So many to choose from...hmm… okay, got it. Whew.

LR: Was it a long time ago?

Jr.: Years. Still hurts when I think about it.

LR: Would you eliminate the memory of it, if you had the choice?

(long pause)

Jr.: No, I would not. Even if I could get rid of the emotions associated with it - it's still part of me, part of who I am now.

LR: Okay, how about something more recent?

Jr.: That's easy. The man I did kill, in the barn. The Hollander's Woods murderer.

LR: Would you get rid of that, the memory of killing him? Or the emotions it brings up?

Jr.: (more certainly) I wouldn't. But, Alexis, I knew he was about to kill me. I knew he'd killed before - that he was a serial killer. It would have been worse, if I'd been wrong about him, if he was innocent and just trying to protect himself from the crazy writer.

LR: Worse, of course it would. But - do you think you'd still want to not remember? If you killed someone, by accident or deliberately, and it turned out they were not the enemy?

(long silence; sounds of dishes being cleared)

Jr.: I'm going to have to think about this. You've given me some real insight, Alexis - I appreciate it.

LR: I don't want you to get all wound up or conflicted, Dad. I just - know you better than anyone, except maybe Gram. Or Beckett. Don't make that face, you know it's true.

Jr.: 'Tis true, 'tis pity; and pity 'tis,'tis true.* Off to class?

LR: Yes, and I won't be back until late. Promise me you'll text if you need anything, or you start to feel worse, or you want Thai for dinner, or…

Jr.: Or, or, or. I'll be fine, honey. I managed to live almost thirty years before you came along...but I wouldn't want to live the rest of 'em without you. Thanks for taking care of me.

LR: It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

Jr.: Funny, your Gram says the same thing about me…

(door closes. Subject Jr leaves the room.)

 _[Lucy: End recording]_

* * *

Ryan stuck his head around the door to Kate's office.

"Cap'n," he said. "Got the results on the cab and the cabbie."

She knew exactly which cabbie he was talking about; she waved him in as she wrapped up her phone conversation, and he slouched comfortably on the sofa, files in hand.

"I ran down Mr. Vasquez' life," said Ryan. "Phone records, taxi logs, financials, the works. Nothing at all out of the ordinary. He was a regular working guy, girlfriend, no kids, parents living in Guatemala. Clean on all counts. From what I gather from his logs, he swings by the Old Haunt frequently, usually picks up at least one fare a week there."

"Did he pick up anyone else there, that night?" asked Kate.

"According to his log and the GPS, no. Witnesses report that Castle was the only person who got in at the Old Haunt, and that they didn't notice anyone else already in the cab, except the driver."

"No street cams, yet?" Kate was pretty sure of the answer.

"He keeps putting off installing them," said Ryan. "I don't know why. The night bartender says the entrance is well lit, and he didn't notice anyone following Castle out. Besides himself, because he wanted to be sure the boss got a cab."

"Okay, so it's just Castle and the driver in the cab," said Kate. "Cab pulls away from the curb - starts up East 21st - gets as far as Broadway - "

"Where our mystery vehicle comes out of nowhere down Broadway and smashes into the passenger side of the cab," said Ryan. "Witnesses say the SUV was dented but not too badly damaged, which tells me that it's been modified for defense. It shoved the cab out of the intersection, and plowed right on. And into the darkness."

"No plates, not even a make?" Kate scowled at the paperwork. "If this isn't a hit, then why all the anonymity?"

"Well, not only did the crash look deliberate - looks like there was a backup plan. Allow me to present Plan B."

He laid a series of photos of the cab out on Kate's desk. Amid the mangled metal, rubber, and vinyl upholstery there was an obvious hole in the floor of the cab, almost directly in front of where the driver's knees would have been.

"Definitely an incendiary device," said Ryan. "Not standard equipment. CSU garage thinks it might have been rolled under the cab and attached itself with a really powerful magnet to the undercarriage."

"Rolled - from where, I wonder," Kate muttered. "Nobody saw it, I'm guessing."

"Nope. Could have been planted there any time - well, any time after the cab left the garage. They inspect the vehicles before they send 'em out."

"But if it was aimed at the cabbie, why wait until nearly the end of his shift to detonate it?" said Kate. "And if it was meant for Castle - " God forbid, she thought - " - how could the killer know Castle would be in that cab?"

"Or maybe it was just a random act of violence," Ryan said, resigned.

"That's kind of a sophisticated-sounding device for a random act," Kate argued. "I mean, there are plenty of easier, cheaper incendiary options. No trace of the device, I take it."

"Bits and pieces. We'll let you know if anything of interest turns up on it."

He nodded and left, and Kate turned to the statement Harriman had taken from Castle the morning after the incident.

According to the report, Castle had stepped out of the bar and flagged a cab at random. He recognized the driver (probably from the driver's regular route, thought Kate), but didn't know his name. Castle said he gave his address and was settling into the backseat, not paying much attention to the ride (by which, Kate figured, he meant he was too inebriated to pay attention); he thought he was sitting in the middle of the seat, the better to chat with the driver, as was his habit. The cab approached Broadway and began a left turn on a green light. That was the last thing Castle could remember before coming around in the emergency room, although he was told he'd been conscious off and on during his extraction and ride in the ambulance. He couldn't remember anything about the driver's demeanor, or whether he was driving recklessly.

Not much to go on, Kate thought. But all too coincidental. We get a lead on the heroin business, and the next day my husband - estranged husband, she told herself sadly - is nearly killed in a traffic accident.

What did Castle always say? _No such thing as a coincidence in a murder investigation._

But was it really murder that was intended?

* * *

* _Hamlet_ , Act II, Scene 2


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** I was in the middle of planning this conversation when a bolt from a conversation with  writingonthecastlewalls, to whom I am grateful, struck my brain and showed me another facet of Kate's dilemma._

 _As stated previously, non-compliant with season 8._

* * *

Kate walked into the diner, slid into the booth across from her father and noted the slight frown that crossed his face.

"It's all right, Dad," she said, hoping to forestall potential fussing.

"It isn't," he said calmly. "But I'm willing to listen to your reasoning."

No fussing, then. She'd called to tell him she'd moved out of the loft, but wouldn't tell him where she was staying, or why she'd left. If she couldn't tell Castle why, she certainly couldn't explain it to her dad, so she was hoping he wouldn't push for answers.

"What have you heard?" she asked. "Since I called, I mean."

"Nothing reliable," said Jim Beckett. "Lots of speculation, as to why New York's latest power couple is suddenly 'un-coupling'. You've seen the papers, I take it? Watched the news?"

"We're hardly front-page material, Dad. I don't watch TV, much. No time."

There was a brief silence while their waitress brought their usual pie and coffee.

"Katie - are you going to tell me what's going on?" he asked his daughter point-blank.

Kate shook her head, looking down at her hands. Let the cross-examination begin, she thought.

"I can't, Dad."

"Do you know what's going on?" he pressed.

 _I'm the only one who does_ , she wanted to say. _Me and Vikram, and maybe Rita has a clue. I'm trying to keep you out of it, Dad, you and Castle and everyone who matters, and if I get a chance to explain when it's all over, I promise I will._

Out loud she said, "I have some idea. Can you just - trust me on this, Dad? I promise I'll explain later. When this is all - resolved, somehow."

Jim was shaking his head now, his expression skeptical.

"I've seen this before, Kate. That promise. The plea for trust."

Kate sat back, shocked, the echo of Castle's statement ringing in her ears.

" _It's you. Because I've seen this before."_

"What do you - When - ?" she stammered.

"From both of you. You, and your mother, God bless her. Her knack for sticking her neck out for her cause - it's one of the reasons I fell in love with her. Even though we both guessed it would come back to haunt her, someday."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked.

"I didn't know what kind of trouble she was walking into, that night in the alley," Jim went on bleakly. "If I had - well, too late for ifs. I never in my wildest dreams imagined she was in any danger. She didn't tell me - said she was working late on a case, all those nights, and it would be over soon. It wasn't like her to hide what she was doing, to avoid even mentioning anything about it. I hoped she was going to tell us, that night."

"That night," Kate whispered. "Did you ever think that it wasn't a coincidence, a random killing?"

"I did," said Jim. "But as you know, I lost my grip on what was what shortly thereafter. And spent the next several years trying to climb out of the bottle."

She reached out to squeeze his hand.

"When you found evidence that it wasn't a coincidence - well, I'll forever be grateful to you and to Rick, for running down that bastard and his followers. I admire you both for bringing him to justice.

"In that same moment, when you told me your mother had been killed for something she knew, I felt - not just surprise, but anger. At her murderer, of course, but also - at her."

Kate stared. Jim spoke as though the words hurt coming out.

"She had this - drive, Katie, just like you do - to see justice brought down on behalf of the people who couldn't get it for themselves. You know that, you saw it. It wasn't just her passion, or her profession. It was her calling. It was a crusade. And up until then, I had been her companion in that crusade. Until she shut me out, and left me behind, thinking that she would be able to present her victory to me to make up for it."

Kate was still staring, aghast. Her father had tears in his eyes, but his hand was steady in hers.

"Just - remember that the guy you married, that you're part of his passion, and he's part of your crusade. If you're shutting him out because you think it's for his own good, or because you want to spare him pain, trust me, it will not do him, or you, any good. Whether it's your life or your marriage on the line."

" _If you have a problem, Kate, then we have a problem. That's how this works."_

"Dad," she managed to say, "What I'm going through right now is all down to me, my doing, my fault. And when I have a problem, I have to solve it. Nobody can do that for me."

"Maybe not," said Jim. "But there's someone who can do that _with_ you. If Rick isn't the cause of your problem, and I gather from your comments that he isn't, then you should include him in the solution."

"I can't," she said, desperately. "I can't have him - interfering. Suffering because of my mistakes."

Her father looked her in the eye and said, "Whether he's your husband, your best friend, or just an annoying sidekick. Rick Castle is not going to sit tamely at home waiting for you to call. He's not going to ignore you, either. Whatever you're doing, he's going to insinuate himself into your life, be your partner, no matter what you think you want."

"He's been doing that since the moment we met," said Kate.

"Wouldn't you rather have his brand of tenacity working for you, rather than slowing you down?" Jim reached for her hand again. "I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, Kate. It's up to you, what you think is right. I'm just saying, I'm not sure you've considered your situation from Rick's point of view. This might be something the two of you can tackle together, and come out all the stronger for it."

* * *

 _ **A/N2:** Thank you for reading my take on The Rest Of The Story. I appreciate actual reviews, but like many other writers here and on other sites, I'm frustrated at having to wade through caustic comments about the show's development in order to read what people think of this story. Therefore, if your "review" is simply about the show and your feelings/opinions about it, I will delete it as irrelevant to this story._

 ** _tl;dr - Reviews of this work are much appreciated. Commentary on Castle the TV show should be posted on another forum; please go find one._**


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:** This chapter was previously posted as a one-shot, "Privileged motion".  
_

* * *

Kate knew better than to just show up at the loft. That kind of spontaneity didn't really suit their current status - not that she knew what that was - plus, once inside, she wasn't sure how easy it would be to walk out. Again.

She'd been doing that far too much lately.

So she called Castle's cell and left a voicemail.

"Hey Castle, it's me. Call me when you get a chance? It's not about a body, it's...personal. Hope the writing's going well."

She managed to not say "babe" at the end. Sad that she thought of that as an accomplishment.

At lunchtime, the man himself turned up.

"Captain," he said in a grave tone, which was belied by the smile on the face he stuck around the corner of her office door.

"Hey," said Kate. "Wanna grab some lunch?"

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Kate Beckett? She doesn't take lunch unless dragged kicking and screaming from the precinct."

"I have to keep the masses guessing," she said lightly.

"How about the Chinese place on Cleveland?"

Chinese it is. Once they were seated and served, Kate decided to forge ahead. But before she could speak, Rick said, "Here it comes."

"What?" she said, startled.

"Something that's going to be hard for you to say, and hard for me to hear," he said. "Not a divorce - you're still wearing your ring, and you don't have any papers on you, though I'd be happy to search you."

He waggled his eyebrows, but it was halfhearted. He went on, "You still have the loft key on your ring, not separate, so you're not trying to return that. If you wanted to ban me from the precinct, it would make sense to tell me when I'm not actually there, so that might be it."

Unable to get a word in, Kate raised her hand, exasperated. Rick gave her a nod.

"Our anniversary is coming up," she blurted out. If she hadn't been feeling so apprehensive, his expression would have made her laugh. It seems she caught him completely by surprise, a rare occasion. He cocked his head, as if to say, "Go on," so she did.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out, on the day. To dinner. With me."

Flashing across his face in quick succession were confusion, then comprehension, then annoyance, and finally, resignation.

She waited him out. Finally he spoke, but didn't answer.

"Why?" he asked in a flat tone.

"It's important," she replied. "Our first year. The milestone we reached. The obstacles we had to overcome. It's a celebration."

"Of what?" said Rick. "Our marriage? Really, Kate? As far as I'm concerned, we haven't made it to a year, yet. You lopped off what, about six weeks, when you left your home. Our home."

"I'm trying to find something positive in all this mess," said Kate, stung. "Something that means something positive to both of us."

 _Something to keep us both going when we can't be together_ , she thought, but she knew what he'd say to that. And he did, or something like it.

"In all this mess," he said, leaning forward, elbows on the table. "The mess you can't tell me about, except to tell me to stay out of it. That I can't help you or back you up or even make you dinner at the end of the day - the day you can't tell me about."

"I want that," she said passionately. "I want all that - I want to tell you, I want to have dinner with you, I want to - to go to bed with you and wake up with you."

"What's stopping you, Kate?" His tone turned soft, curious, almost gentle. Kate shook her head.

"I swear, I will tell you everything. When this is all over. Just - right now, I just want to do something normal - like have dinner with you on our anniversary."

He seemed to search her face; her eyes were brimming with tears. At last, he sighed.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said quietly. "I'm an all-or-nothing kind of guy, Beckett. You know that. I don't want to 'celebrate' an occasion that doesn't mean anything, and the fact that you're behaving as though we're not married doesn't change that. Rings and paperwork don't make a marriage. Neither do words spoken in front of witnesses. What makes a marriage is two people who are determined to stay connected, committed to each other, whatever the cost."

"Even the cost of a life?" That's more than she wanted to say, but how else can she tell him how serious this is?

"Whose life, Beckett? Yours? Mine? Vikram's? I can't speak for Vikram, but for the last seven years you and I have been laying down our lives for each other. How is this situation any different? Kate - "

He reached over to take her hand, pleading.

"If it's dangerous, I have a right to know. Just like you'd have a right to know if I was the one disappearing into - "

He stopped cold, as if realizing what he was saying. Kate's eyes snapped up to his, anger blazing through her tears.

"If you were the one disappearing into a void," she finished for him. "You keep telling me it wasn't your choice, but one choice you supposedly did make was to have your memory conveniently erased."

"It was a case of national security."

"Neither of us knows that," said Kate. "Not for sure. If I had been there, I would have talked you out of it. Somehow. Because we're better as a team, and you shutting me out is not teamwork."

Now it's her turn to stop and realize what she said. She refused to burst into tears in public, so she choked out, "I'm sorry. You're right, it's a bad idea. I'm sorry. I have to go."

She stood straight and made a beeline for the exit. Once outside, she glanced around; the precinct was close enough that hailing a cab would offend her sensibility. Still, she wanted to put distance between herself and her husband. The man she had let down in such a spectacular fashion.

Too late. He came out the door a minute later, probably lingering only long enough to leave cash on their table, and laid a hand on her arm, carefully.

"Hey," he said. "Let's not part ways like this. Let me walk you back to the precinct."

She nodded, a bit limply, and took his arm. They walked for about half a block before she spoke.

"When I came to your door, the night Maddox almost killed me," she said, "I said that all I wanted was you. That's still true, Rick. Every day - every night. I'm not on some mission for the sake of my thirst for justice. Not _only_ that."

"What is the mission, then?" he asks. His hand slid down to capture hers.

"If I told you why I - why we have to separate, for now, you'd - well, you'd want to forget all over again. I can't let you see or hear what I'm doing. It's bad enough that Vikram and I are investigating - the more people we let in on the investigation, the higher the risk. I fell into it by way of a thoughtless act, two years ago, and I have to dig my way out before I can stop watching my back. And yours."

"Dare I quote my mother? 'A burden shared is a burden lightened'," said Rick. "Remember what I said way back when, about Melanie Cavanaugh, the runaway bride?"

"Some people love the institution, hate the day-to-day," Kate recalled. "How does that apply?"

"I love both the concept and the execution of marriage," he told her. "In my mind, the two are inseparable. If you're not physically living at the loft, or anywhere, with me, there's still a mental and emotional connection that has to go both ways. You can call it trust, or shared brain, or whatever you like...that's what I miss most."

Kate looked up at him, as they stood sheltered from wind in the corner of a building, and something seemed to sink in at last.

"Let me - give me some time," she said. "Let me figure out what I can share. I'll give you what I can - maybe we can go from there?"

He smiled, for the first time in what seemed like days.

"Tell you what," he said. "Come to my office, the night of. We'll have a drink, and you can tell me whatever you can. And before you ask, my PI office inner sanctum has more counter-surveillance features than Fort Knox."

She felt herself smile, too. That would do - for now.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** A reader mentioned that the last chapter didn't seem to take into account the conversation Kate had with her dad in chapter 6. Valid point. I hope this chapter shows how Kate is slowly digesting that conversation and working through her thoughts._

* * *

"Hayley?" The voice of the caller was male, pitched low, and amused.

"Atwell," Rita replied. "Any progress?"

"Negative. Security at the precinct is even tighter now, after the shootout. No use trying to bug the morgue - she doesn't go down there any more. She goes straight to work, straight home - and she doesn't make any calls from there. She doesn't even talk to herself. Silent as a tomb."

"Well, so she's cagier than we thought. Good girl. What about Junior's office?"

"I got a couple of bugs in there during the construction - but of course, himself took a deep scan of every inch, including that back room, right after that first op. Found 'em both, drowned 'em and crushed 'em." He sighed. "Shoulda known he'd think of that. I'm getting too old for this crap."

"Get over it, Gramps," she teased. "You know, our rabbit seems like he'd be a babbler. You should try putting a bug on him. Trace his phone."

"These people are all way too smart. He'd detect that in a cold minute, and he'd want to check her phone, too. No, I think I might take a crack at Little Red. She's never seen me, and she has to show up at school at least once a week. Lots of foot traffic on campus, people are always bumping into each other."

"Nothing new from Lucy?"

"Nope. He's been spending a lot of time in his office, and she can't pick up his voice from there. Not when he's muttering to himself."

"Well, I haven't found anything relevant to Boss Lady's case," Rita sighed in her turn. "But there's some chatter that might relate to Junior's lost summer. I'll encrypt and send it to you."

"Send it to the server in Paris - that's the one I've been using for his case."

"Aye aye, cap'n."

* * *

 _/Sound file uploaded to server_ Valjean _; accompanying message identifies file as taken from Captain's quarters on [date]./_

Male voice (on recording): Mrs. H, here's a recording she made last night, on a device she locked in her gun safe. I made a copy and locked it back up - the device has the word WRITER on it in big white letters.

...

Female voice (on recording): Hey, Writer Boy. It's me. I hope you never find this - if you do, it'll be because I'm - dead. God, I'm so sorry, Castle. I screwed up, so badly that even if I live through this, I don't know how I'm ever going to explain it to you. I'm not going to give you any details - I just want to talk about us. If there is any "us", any more.

I talked to my dad a couple of days ago. He told me some things about my mother that I never knew, or maybe just didn't acknowledge. Anyway, when she was killed, he didn't know anything about the lead she was following. She wouldn't tell him - said she'd explain when it was all over. I don't think she expected it to end the way it did, though. She left him out of the loop, probably for the same reasons I'm doing it with you, trying not to drag him into her battle, and as much as he loved her, he felt she'd betrayed him in that.

Dad's words have kept me thinking about my responsibility, to you, to myself, and to the people at my side in the line of duty. Roy Montgomery said that - _[indistinguishable muffled sounds]_ \- sorry - Roy said that we speak for the dead, that we owe them that. He also said that we don't owe them our lives. I don't want to feel like I owe my life to - those who have died, but it's so hard to resist, that feeling. Someone the other day told me some devils are hard to cast out. This is one of those - feeling as though if I don't follow this path, track down those who caused their deaths, then no one else will. Sounds pretty egotistical, doesn't it? Like I'm the only avenging angel on the Earth.

Castle, the demon I'm dealing with is a demon of my own making, not yours, and I thought - I thought that leaving you out of it would keep you safe, not in the sense of becoming someone's target, but because I didn't want blood on your hands that was my fault. I wanted to keep you safe from the harm that was coming to me, the disastrous consequences of something I did. The penance that I have to serve, on my own. Not you.

I hope you've managed to listen to this soliloquy so far, because here's the part where I say: I love you. You mean more to me than anything. If we never meet again, let that be your memory of me.

 _/end recording/_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** This chapter's short, I know. Next one, not so much. Thanks for reading!_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N:** Happy Castle-versary, dear readers!_

* * *

Kate came awake slowly, without her usual instant awareness of her surroundings. She was lying on something upholstered, with something fleecy draped over her, her shoes off, and she smelled…really good coffee.

She took a deep breath, and when she caught another underlying scent in the room her eyes opened.

"Castle," she said.

Kate sat up and looked around. She was in the "inner sanctum" behind the false wall, on a sofa identical to the one in the main office. This room had no windows, and the panel door was shut and, she did not doubt, secured against intruders.

He was sitting in an armchair about three feet away.

"How did I – " She rubbed at her face. Her watcher just smiled and held out a steaming cup of coffee, which she took gratefully and sipped.

"Specialty of the house," said Castle quietly. "Only for our best customers."

She managed a smile back at him.

"I got here early," she said. "I figured it was safer to wait in here. This couch is obviously far too comfortable."

"Don't I know it," said Castle, getting to his feet and going over to get his own coffee, then coming back to sit in his chair.

He looked fresh out of the shower – it was his hair product she'd smelled – shaved smooth, in a dark suit and deep red dress shirt, no tie. Castle at his most suave, man-about-town self. Kate had gone home to change and freshen up, but she still felt rather rumpled. Must have been the nap.

"I presume you didn't just come here to sleep," he said. "Though you're welcome, any time. Turn-down service is very, very good here."

Was he flirting? Of course he was. She had seven years to study his methods; this was Innuendo Castle, who wouldn't come right out and pitch a pickup line but who would drop hints like depth charges to fluster his audience.

"So, d'you get turned down a lot?" she replied in kind. His smile broadened.

"Not lately," he said. "I'm a little out of practice, though. I've never been good at dealing with rejection, either."

"Why do you keep trying, then?" Kate asked.

He set down his empty cup and looked over at her with steady blue eyes.

"Because the heart wants what the heart wants."

Damn him and his eloquence.

"What does _your_ heart want?" he said then.

"Do you really have to ask?" she said, frustrated.

"Yes, I do. You keep saying one thing and doing another. If I have to figure out which you really mean, I'd just as soon it came from the proverbial horse's mouth."

"I told you - I have to be on my own, right now, to straighten some things out - "

Castle sprang out of his chair and paced a tight circle, coming back to face her as he stood behind the chair.

"Don't," he said vehemently. "Don't stall, don't lie, don't evade. This room is not only safe from surveillance, Kate. It's a safe place for us to talk. No outside interference, no interruptions, no limits. Just you and me.

"I understand that even married people don't tell each other everything," he went on. A hint of a smile flitted across his face. "Like that thing with the Mars mission. But if we're not going to live together, if you're not going to be in my bed at night, if I have to go to the precinct to see you - I think I'm entitled to know why."

His tone was brittle.

"So what is it, Kate? Can't stand the day to day?"

 _No limits?_ Kate thought. _He might live to regret that._ Her eyes met his and she was startled; he looked like he was bracing for impact. Then she realized where she'd seen that look before.

 _Beckett, what do you want?_

"I want to be with you, Rick," she said. "When I said _always_ , I meant it. That's my end game, the reason I'm doing what I'm doing. And right now, that means I have to be completely on my own. I keep telling you, it's not us, or you, that's the problem."

"You keep telling me that," he echoed. "Do you really expect me to believe it, when you moved out and put distance between us? How does that indicate anything _but_ a problem with me?"

Kate stared at him. Did he really think it was something he'd done? How could he think that? More important, how could she convince him otherwise?

"The problem is…" she began, "the very fact that you and I _are_ such a great team. The shared brain we have, the theory building, the bonds of loyalty and purpose and everything else we have, over and above the fact that we love each other. I love you so much, babe, and it's crazy that what I have to do, I can't include you in it."

He studied her for a moment, then surprised her by asking, "Are you being blackmailed, Kate?"

"What? No. I chose to do this - it's the hardest choice I've ever made."

"And you decided you can't include me? Or is someone else calling the shots?"

Now she saw where he was going with this.

"I decided," she said miserably. "All on my own. I deliberately left you out of the loop. And I can't convince you that it's - for your own good, that you're better off not knowing. Because you always have to know, Castle. You can't leave well alone."

"Really?" he said. "You mean, like when I stood by while you chose to go with Josh, or Demming, because I wanted you to choose freely? Like when I didn't track you down, the summer after your shooting, because I wanted you to have time to think? Or like when you chose to throw yourself in front of a bullet and I walked out because I didn't want to watch you die _again_?"

There were tears in his eyes as he went on.

"My mother told me once, that I don't hold back, that if I really loved you, believed in us, I would throw myself into our relationship. She was right. And I told you once, you don't back down, and that makes you extraordinary. And it is not my ego talking when I say that if you're on the trail of something that isn't our relationship, and you won't back away from it? We won't have anything to throw ourselves into, in the end."

Now it was Kate who got up to roam the room like a caged tiger.

"This is exactly what I'm worried about!" she said. "If you knew what - why I'm doing what I'm doing - you'd understand. But if I tell you - "

Rick caught her by the shoulders.

"If you don't tell me," he said, "I will go looking anyway. I'll use any means possible to ferret out what you're hiding from me, Kate. I'm done going along with the cover story - with your vague insistence on needing space. Now, you can tell me what's going on, or you can waste time trying to stop me from finding out."

He let go of her shoulders and went over to the bar, got out two glasses and a bottle, and poured two stiff drinks. Then he planted his hands on the bar and fixed his gaze on her.

"What's it gonna be, Kate?"

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

 _Attachments are liabilities. Leverage to be used against us by our enemies._

 _I have to choose between finding the killer and being with Rick?_

 _What do you think is going to happen if LOKSAT finds out that you and Castle are working together on this? Why do you want to get him killed?_

Kate opened her eyes and walked over, around the bar, coming to a halt only when her body plowed into Castle and he put his arms around her.

"They'll kill you," she whispered, and the tears started to fall.


	10. Chapter 10

"Wish I had a nickel for every time I heard that," said Castle, but his tone was grim. "Who is it that's going to kill me?"

"The people behind the LokSat operation," said Kate, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "The people who had Rachel and the others killed."

"Wait." He held her at arm's length, looking appalled. "That's what you're doing? You're going after LokSat?"

"I have to."

"Have to?" he asked. "Because your team was killed and you feel responsible? Because Bracken's dead and you need a new mission? This isn't _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ , Kate, and LokSat is not Hydra. You are not the only one who can bring down the Big Bad, and going at it alone is going to get _you_ killed. Whether your obsession is with justice, or personal responsibility, or protecting what you love, you need me. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

The word _obsession_ interrupted her attempt to gather her thoughts.

"What do you know about obsession?" she asked, equal parts bitter and curious.

"Well...there's a Kellerman novel with that title...a fragrance by Calvin Klein, a Brian de Palma film that's heavily influenced by _Vertigo_ …" It was his usual spiel, rolling out apparently unrelated, usually trivial facts on cue. This time it didn't seem to roll as easily as usual. He probably thought she was trying to distract him.

"Right," she interrupted, as usual. "Do you know how it feels?"

She expected him to make a reference to his pursuit of her, but instead he said, "Only in the temporary sense, on every case we've had, in every story I write. I feel like I can't rest until I know the whole story. You know that."

"Yeah, I do," she said. "And then there's that cop you chased for four years."

Castle looked startled.

"No, no," he said. "That wasn't obsession, Kate. That's love. If it'd been an obsession I would have lost interest the minute you showed any interest in me. I'd know how the story would end, and I'd find something - someone - else to go after. I've done it before, much to my shame, but not for a long time."

Kate wanted him to understand this, as far as she could explain it. She sat down on a stool and took a deep breath.

"I've always had that side to me," she told him. "When my mother was murdered, once the grief became manageable, my only purpose was to discover the truth about her death. You've heard me talk about it - how it consumed me. I forced myself to back away, and in the process whipped myself into shape as a supercop. Youngest woman to make detective. Head of a squad of top-notch guys like Espo and Ryan. Hand-picked for Homicide by Roy Montgomery."

"It wasn't enough, though, was it?" Rick asked. "That's when I entered the picture. You were so driven to get to the bottom of a case - I recognized a kindred spirit, someone who wouldn't leave the story alone until the bitter end. I was amazed - I still am."

"Thanks, but - " Kate shook her head. "I don't know if that's a good way to go about living - I'd burn away to ashes and rise again with every case we landed. You said it yourself - I don't back down. And that works, for homicide cases - but not so much with relationships. It either scared people or fascinated them, like I was a case study or a lab rat. Or they'd say I just needed to find the right man. Or woman."

They'd had this conversation, more or less, long before, over their previous relationships and why they didn't work out, always promising each other it would never happen to them. Who was she kidding?

"I did find the right man," she said after a minute. Looking in his eyes, she said it again. "I found the right man, Rick. I just don't know if I'm - the right woman for you."

Now he looked downright shocked.

"Hey," he said, taking her hand. "You are, Kate. You are the only woman for me, not just because of our history, or because you'd make a stunning trophy wife, or because I think I'm doing you a favor - please! - or even because I think you're perfect and beyond reproach. Because I don't."

She snorted a laugh. "Definitely not that."

"I'm going to reproach you some more, then. Neither of us is a model of mental health, Kate, but then, neither is anyone else in this world. The question is, what do you do with your own personal twist? Do you succumb to it, fight it, deny it? Or do you use it?"

Once more, a voice from the past. Javier Esposito, holding out the rifle used to shoot her in the cemetery.

" _You think it's a weakness? Make it a strength."_

"I have used it," she replied. "I was just saying."

"Like me - you use your obsession, your drive, every day, to find the truth. And once you do, you get back up and start over with another puzzle. What about the really tough puzzles, though? Like your mother's murder? Mysteries that take years to solve, or even to identify?"

"But we did," she said passionately. "We solved it. Bracken was put away, he was going down for life."

"Yeah, he was," said Castle, watching her. "And then someone killed him. Stole your closure, I'm guessing."

That thought had occurred to Kate, and she'd denied it, shoving it away behind the more noble cause of bringing justice for her dead comrades. Now Rick Castle mentioned it as though reading her mind, and how could anyone, even Castle, know her that well?

She reached for the drink Castle had poured and downed it in one swallow.

"He got what he deserved," she said.

"But not on your terms."

She rounded on him. "Does it matter? The man who ordered her death is dead. The man who carried out the order is dead. Why should it matter how?"

"It matters to you," said Castle. His voice was gentle. "Because now that they're dead, you feel like you should be able to move on...but you can't."

Kate just stared. He'd come up with plenty of insight into her inner self over the years, but this was uncanny.

"Where are you getting this from?" she choked out. "What makes you think - ?"

"From you," he told her. "From what I know about you. You can't bring yourself to move on, settle down, be happy, because your whole life has been about bringing closure to other people. And now you feel you have to pursue whoever is behind LokSat, and the AG team's deaths, to the gates of hell, because until he's dead, your story is not over."

"And once he's in the grave?" she said. "I thought, when I imagined it, that that would give me peace, but now I'm not so sure. I can't be sure. And I can't put you through that, Rick - you didn't sign up for my brand of torture."

His hand was warm on her cheek, sliding to the back of her neck, sinking his fingers into her heir.

"I did, though," he murmured. "I may not have known, when I first started following you, to what heights and depths you would go for your cause. But Kate - You think we made it through all those worst case scenarios, misunderstandings, trials and tribulations, only to fall apart now? When we need each other the most?"

"And then?" Kate persisted. "If we make it through this case? What if something else rears its ugly head, something more I can't let go?"

"Remember Roy Montgomery," said Castle. "There are no victories, only battles. You find a place to make your stand. And you will always have someone to stand with you. Me."


	11. Chapter 11

"Do you remember what I said to you, in Holding, the time that Tyson framed me for murder?" Castle went on. "I asked if you believed me, that I never knew Tessa Horton, that Tyson had been in the precinct, that he was framing me."

Kate nodded. "And I told you, I never stopped believing you."

"And I will never stop believing you, Kate," he said softly. "As long as what you tell me, and show me, is your true self - I will never turn you away."

He tipped her chin up so he could kiss her with soft, warm lips, slowly, gently, his hands drawing her in against him as they stood together.

When that long, slow kiss drew to a close, Kate mumbled into his chest, "I'm sorry, Castle. I should have known that even once that wall of mine came down, there'd still be a mess to clean up."

"Many hands make light work. Or so the saying goes." He looked down at her. "I'm happy to pitch in."

She nodded, feeling far more optimistic than she had been for weeks.

"Come on, let's sit down."

She sat beside him on the couch, his arm around her, and collected her thoughts.

"Let me start at the top," said Kate. "There's a woman who helped me and Vikram when we were on the run – obviously a spy of some sort – she wouldn't tell us what agency she was with."

"They never do," muttered Castle, and Kate was momentarily amused.

"Practically the first thing she said to me was, 'I'm Castle's stepmother.' Later she told us she'd been married to Jackson Hunt for ten years. Her name is Rita – at least that what she said we could call her."

"I can't decide whether that's awesome or alarming," Castle said. "Where did you meet her?"

"She showed up at the place we were hiding, that I thought was safe – obviously not – and took out the team sent to kill us. Trained shooters." Kate shook her head, remembering. "She took us to her safe house and told us she'd been investigating LokSat for over a year, but that her leads kept evaporating."

"You believe her?"

Kate snorted mirthlessly, remembering. "I asked her why I should. She said, 'I did save your life, dear.'"

"Remind me to thank her if we ever meet," he muttered. "So she knows about the memo, about Simmons' drug operation, about Bracken, about the deaths of the AG people. And obviously, a thing or two about me - and about you."

"What you don't know is that I saw Rita, the night before - before I left. She doesn't think it's over, either; she's sure that Hyde was a scapegoat."

"That makes three of us," said Castle. "What else did she say?"

"Told me to go home - said that my mother had been avenged, Bracken was dead, and that I should go along with the official story - that Hyde had been head of the operation. Live my life and let her go on with the investigation.

"She said if I brought you into my quest for LokSat, they'd kill you - and that it would be my fault. She called it going down the rabbit hole," she said tightly, "and said I should be careful who I take with me. That anyone who dies now, their blood would be on me. Because I'd be putting my obsession with finding truth over my life with you."

"So you were stuck," said Castle. "Trying to figure out how to have it both ways. LokSat found and exposed, and me - supposedly! - staying safe at home until the coast was clear."

Kate hung her head at the words.

"I was sure I could work out how to do it - have both - if I could just clear my head," she said. "So I stepped away, and for that I will always be sorry, Rick. It wasn't supposed to turn into - this."

"What exactly was it supposed to look like?" he asked. "Did you think you could bring down LokSat by the end of the week? The month? The year? What would you tell me once it was done, when you came back to me? Would you have told me then about your 'mission'?"

He sounded more frustrated than angry.

"Did you even have any leads?"

"No," said Kate. "I was starting from scratch. Vikram had some ideas - "

"Ah, yes. Vikram Singh. The guy who dragged you into this in the first place."

"If he hadn't, he'd be dead by now," Kate insisted. "And now we're trying to prevent any further deaths, by tracking LokSat to its source and taking it out."

"Okay," said Castle. "What ideas?"

She spent half an hour spilling details of her covert investigation, and she could tell Castle was trying hard not to interrupt, let her tell it her way.

Finally he burst out, "I get some of your reasoning on this, and why you made the choices you did - not agreeing, mind you - but for crying out loud, Kate, really? You put your life in the hands of this - kid?"

"I checked his story," said Kate defensively. "He is who he says he is. AG analyst, tech specialist, graduated from MIT. Parents living in California, no siblings - not after his sister died - "

"How did she die?"

"I - don't know," Kate replied, frowning. "Is it relevant?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Did he tell you about her?"

"Just that she died when he was a kid, and how it affected him," said Kate. "He did have a sister and she showed up as deceased in my search."

Of course, she thought. Castle's always been the one to catch nuances and things that fall through the cracks of my official brain.

"I've been meaning to tell you," she went on, facing him. "That accident you were in…"

"Wasn't an accident?"

Her expression must have been priceless; Castle actually laughed, then squeezed her hand.

"How could you know that?" she asked.

"It's how I'd write it," said Castle. "No coincidences, remember? Did you ever track down the other car?"

"No, it's vanished. But CSU autopsied the cab and found evidence of an incendiary device, attached to the chassis with a magnet. That's what killed the driver - it went off right in front of his feet."

"Poor guy," said Castle, shaking his head. "Why, though? I mean, why plant a bomb if you're going to ram the cab anyway? Or conversely, why ram the cab if the bomb will get the job done?"

"Maybe one of them was a backup plan," said Kate. "And someone got trigger happy."

"Wish I could've been a better witness. Sorry."

"No harm, no foul," she said. "And it's not like you came away unscathed. Hope you're mending quickly."

"Not as quickly as I'd like. At least I've got Alexis to help out at home. And Lucy, of course."

"Lucy?" Kate worked to keep suspicion out of her voice. "Who's Lucy? A nurse? Physical therapist?"

Castle leaned close to her ear and whispered, "A home operating system."

"Is that what you call it?"

He chuckled. "Lucy is an artificially intelligent device that coordinates my network at home. Turns lights on or off, sets the alarm if I forget. Smart house tech."

Of course, Castle would soothe his loneliness by finding a new gadget, she thought. But -

"An AI, connected to your network," she said, alarmed. "Does it have access to the information you've gathered so far?"

"Not as far as I know," said Castle. "That's behind a different firewall, even more impenetrable than the data you and Vikram hacked into here at the office."

Ouch. "I'm not gonna play who hacked whom first," Kate said. "Sounds like a bad horror film title, anyway. So Lucy's on a low- to medium-security level?"

"Yes, and why do you ask?"

"When was the last time you scanned the loft for bugs?"

Castle stared at Kate for a minute. "Whoa. Not lately. Not for a couple of years...after the last time Jackson Hunt showed up there. What are you thinking?"

"Just wondering," she said. "That's the problem with trying to investigate this thing - there are so many possibilities, so many elements. Vikram's sister - Lucy - the cab accident - Why would anyone want you dead, anyway?"

"I did say that my fan mail tends to be disturbing," he said, almost as flippantly as usual. "And didn't you tell me once that as long as you can prove means and opportunity, you don't need to know motive?"

"I'll take any one of those, right now," said Kate.


	12. Chapter 12

When she allowed herself to think about reuniting with Castle, Kate had always imagined there'd be spectacular sex figured into the mix. As it turned out, their meeting of minds was more draining than any conversation she'd ever had; once they'd come to some agreement as to what to do next - which did not, alas, include Kate moving back into the loft - there was cuddling and kissing that might have led to some serious making out on the couch.

The third time Kate stifled a yawn, her husband took pity on her. Leaning back and straightening her clothes for her, he said, "Bedtime for you, Beckett. It's almost one a.m. and you have a job to go to in the morning."

"Oh, the idle rich," she grumbled. Rick laughed.

"Rich yes, idle, not lately," he told her. "I have a draft to turn in to Gina next week. It's like being back in college, only with more demanding teachers."

"I'm glad you're writing," said Kate, putting her shoes on. "Makes me feel a little less like a home-wrecker."

She stood up and found herself engulfed in Rick's embrace.

"It's still your home, Kate," he murmured. "Whenever you're ready."

"When this is all over," she said. She put on her coat and started toward the secret door, but Rick laid a hand on her arm.

"Wait. Let me check first."

He tapped a few keys on the base of the phone unit on the bar, and an image popped up on the TV screen, of the outer office.

"Looks clear," he said, pressed another key, and the image shifted to a thermal scan, which showed just the usual electronics and other small heat sources. "If anyone's out there, they're either a corpse or the abominable snowman."

"Corpses can still show up on infrared," Kate pointed out. "They give off heat even during decomposition."

"Snowman, then," he said cheerfully. It felt almost like old days, when he would be parked in his chair beside her desk spinning speculation and she'd be rolling her eyes.

She smiled up at him as they walked out into the office.

"There's a back door out of the secret room," he told her, "but I don't want to get in the habit of using it. Someone might realize I was disappearing too often and start watching the building exits."

Was he always this paranoid? she thought, then reminded herself exactly why they'd met in the first place - his particular nose for plot and setting a scene.

"Did you drive here?" he asked, locking the front door.

"Took a cab," she said. "Not the first, not the second. Also, I'm banking on the low odds that someone would bomb a cab right in front of the precinct."

"Let me take you home, then," said Rick. "I've been driving my own car, since it's always locked up in the garage both here and at home."

"Um," said Kate, not knowing which 'home' he meant, and as usual, he caught it.

"Whichever home you want, Kate. The loft, or - wherever you're staying, these days."

He was trying not to fish for information, she could tell. And however much she wanted to fall into bed with him (and never come out), she knew she had to keep up appearances for those under her command.

"Actually, you can take me back to the precinct," she said. They were exiting the elevator on the garage level; Rick gave her a puzzled look.

"I get that you want to keep your hiding place hidden," he said, "but wouldn't it be faster - "

"I don't spend much time at my - place," she interrupted. "You know those 'nap rooms' they put in on the top floor, at the precinct?"

The rooms had been created for people who had to pull double shifts or who just needed to get some rest after a difficult operation. (They were used mainly for "fraternizing", as Kate found out long before she'd become captain.)

"Beckett - " They were in the car by now, and he turned in his seat to stare at her. "Why?"

"Depends on how late I have to be at work. I change up which nights I spend where, so anyone who's tracking me doesn't figure out my schedule and put it to their use."

"I see," he said. "I'm not happy about that...but I don't suppose there's anything I can do about it."

"Nope. And in keeping with the current facade of leaving you out of the loop, the less you know about my flophouse, the better."

They rode in silence for a while. Then Rick reached over and took her hand.

"When can we meet again?" he asked quietly.

"I'll have to let you know," she said. "But we will meet again, Rick. I promise."

"And one more thing," he said as he pulled to the curb a block from the 12th. "I think it would be better if Vikram didn't know about our detente. Let him think I'm still in the dark."

Kate didn't like that idea - but she could also see his point.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll keep it quiet. Until you and I decide otherwise."

"Together," Rick said and smiled.

Kate looked up and realized why he'd stopped here - they were in a well-lit area, safe enough to walk a block, but the car was facing away from the security cameras mounted nearby. She looked over at Rick and said, "Wow. You think of everything."

"Learned from the best," he said.

She took his face in her hands and brought her lips to his, letting herself drink him in, lingering until he leaned back a little and said, "Gotta stop, or I'll be taking this to the back seat."

She couldn't help imagining what *that* would be like.

"Some other time," she murmured. "Make a note of it."

He sat back and rummaged in his coat pocket, coming up with a familiar note pad and a pen.

"Making out in the back seat of the town car," he read as he scribbled.

"Not the squad car?"

"Not enough room," he replied promptly. "Not for what I have in mind."

He was leering at her and she felt almost...normal.

"Until - tomorrow?" she said, and he nodded.

"I'll come up with a reason to stop by the precinct," he suggested.

"Like you ever needed one before," she teased.


	13. Chapter 13

True to his word, Castle showed up mid-morning, ostensibly to see Ryan. Kate heard Rick's voice just outside her office and smiled to herself.

"I hear congratulations are in order - again," Rick was saying. "Sarah Grace is getting a sidekick?"

There was some manly back-slapping and low-voiced ribbing, then Kate could hear Ryan saying, "Thanks, man. Jenny tells me people don't usually throw a baby shower after the first born, so this'll come in handy."

"Give her my love, will you?"

Kate remained at her desk, busying herself with no-brainer signatures, until Castle's head appeared in her half-open doorway.

"Hey, Chief, got a minute?"

He grinned, out of sight of the bullpen, and stepped into her office, shutting the door behind him. The blinds behind her desk were closed, as were those opposite, but the window to the bullpen was still visible, so Kate schooled her expression into one of impatience and exasperation.

"That's 'Captain'," she said sternly, "and what do you want, Castle?"

"Well, it's about the Vizzini case…"

Kate thanked God for her poker face. Vizzini was the name of Wallace Shawn's character from The Princess Bride film; as far as she knew, there was no one by that name involved with any of the cases at the 12th.

"That's not my jurisdiction," she said flatly. "That's on the Transit Bureau's plate. You should know that."

"Well, I was hoping maybe you could advise me - "

"I can't. Castle, you have to stop making up excuses to drop in here. I have a precinct to run and you can't be here." She got up and went around her desk, to face him with her arms crossed.

"Too much of a distraction, Beckett?"

The classic Castle leer he was aiming at her made it easy for her to scowl at him. And to raise her voice.

"I think the word you're looking for here is nuisance, Castle," she snapped. "You need to go back to playing P.I. and let me do my job."

"Apparently this P.I. has managed to be helpful to the NYPD on more than one occasion," he retorted. "So maybe you need to keep an open mind while you're doing your job."

His tone stung, and his expression was somber now. Kate wondered for a moment how close to the truth this charade was skating. She shook herself mentally and reached to open her office door.

"If the NYPD needs your services, we will contact you," she told him firmly. "Until then, please don't come to this precinct without my express permission."

"What if you need my - services?" he said, less suggestively than before, as though making a last-ditch attempt to placate her.

"I don't. I won't." She nearly choked on the words. "I thought I made that clear when I moved out. LT?"

LT came to her door. "Captain?"

"Will you please see Mr. Castle to the elevator. And, if necessary, out of the building. He's banned from the precinct as of now."

LT looked mildly taken aback, but he nodded to Castle, who said not another word, but headed for the elevator with his shoulders slumped.

Esposito was looking at Kate from where he stood next to Ryan's desk. "Captain?" he echoed.

"Not now, Espo," she said and closed the door as gently as she could. Closing the blinds as well, she uncurled her fist to see what Rick had pressed into her hand as they argued. A USB drive. She sat down at her desk and pulled a small laptop computer out of the locked drawer. As far as she knew, the network connections had been disabled, so no one could try to hack into the unit, transmit malware, or contact anyone with it.

Not even Vikram Singh; she'd called Tory Ellis to disable it and sworn her to secrecy.

The drive icon appeared on her screen and she opened it, not knowing what to expect and grateful for the privacy screen that scrambled the image for anyone who wasn't sitting directly in front of it. For all she knew, Castle might have included some adult-rated selfies among whatever files he was passing to her.

There were no image files in the list. All the file names were related to past occasions, such as their hasty wedding, their honeymoon out west, reviews of the play his mother was in. One was titled "Senior thesis - DRAFT - Alexis" and was the largest file by far, so she opened it first.

It was not at all related to Alexis or her college studies. Now that she saw the content, it didn't surprise her to see that the document had been created in the fall of 2014, one week after Castle had been found floating in a blue dinghy off the east coast.

Kate skimmed the first few pages; the document was a collection of notes about his absence that summer - dates, times, latitudes and longitudes, research on dengue fever and Thailand. About ten pages in, the notes gave way to complete sentences, the beginnings of theories, some abandoned and struck out but not deleted, some highlighted in various colors. She'd never seen this file before - had he been working on this in secret? Why hadn't he said anything to her?

She sighed, closed the document, and shut down the computer, stashing it and the usb drive in her satchel for later examination. She could guess why he hadn't said anything; after Montreal, and after the Jeff Powers case, he hadn't been satisfied with the story he'd been given by "Jenkins", but he'd kept trying to sort it out, and he was reluctant to let anyone else know about his continued pursuit of the solution to the puzzle.

But why? He wasn't the type to play his cards close to the vest (except in actual poker); his thoughts and ideas, crazy or sane, were usually apparent or at least available to anyone who cared to look. Even after knowing him for seven years, Kate felt confident about her ability to interpret his moods and actions most of the time.

She couldn't analyze the situation now; she had work to do, on several fronts. The document would have to wait.


	14. Chapter 14

"Something has changed," said Jackson, forgoing the code word.

"Besides the weather in New York? This is the soggiest Christmas I've seen in years," Rita replied, but she knew he wasn't talking about the weather.

"I think he's wise to the wire. He's been spending less time in pickup range, and even so he doesn't talk to himself like he has been."

"What about Little Red?"

"She has finals coming up - spends a lot of time either studying in her room or off-site, as far as I can tell. And Big Red hasn't been to the loft in weeks."

"The show's a big hit. She's busy with her public, and her theatre people."

"You don't have to spell it out for me," Jackson growled. "I've been watching them long enough. That's how I know something's different."

Rita sighed. She hadn't been in the spy business her entire life, so she'd been through some of the natural ebb and flow of family, people growing up and moving out, separating - and joining. Still, since Jack knew nothing of that, she humored him.

"Okay, big guy, what's your assessment?"

"They were both in the PI office, the night of their anniversary, for a couple of hours. The next day he went to the precinct and she kicked him out. Publicly."

"How'd you get hold of that intel?"

"Drunk and disorderly. They put me in the tank to sober up and I heard unis gossiping about a thing or two before I was released back into the wild."

"Bet you stank," Rita grinned. Jack was good at disguises, but he preferred those that did not require being disheveled, grimy, and/or smelly.

"Surprised you didn't smell me from where you are."

"I'm not there any more, anyway. So what did you hear?"

"She had a uniform escort him from the building, told him he was banned from the precinct until further notice. After that it was business as usual, like she'd just dealt with a minor annoyance and got on with her life."

"She's something else, all right. So you think their tete-a-tete was spent in some activity other than heavy petting?"

Jackson snorted. "I doubt there was any petting at all, heavy or not. I think they might have come to some agreement about how to behave in public, and her public dismissal is part of that."

"What you don't know about women is a lot," Rita sighed. If it had been Jackson and herself in a locked, un-bugged room for two hours...She shook herself back to the current conversation and added, "So all we can do is keep watching and listening and see what their next move is."

"What's going on in the rest of the world?"

Rita filled him in on her successes and failures to make progress on the LokSat affair. "No further deaths," she finished up. "But there seems to be a lot of activity in that PAC account that was set up for Jason Kochler, over a year ago. Going in and coming out."

"Does the Boss Lady know about that?"

"She might have come across it accidentally; I haven't found a way to bring it to her attention. I wonder, though, once Bracken was discredited and now that he's dead, what's the money trail being used for?"

"Maybe they're grooming someone to replace him," said Jackson.

"Or maybe the top cat has decided not to share," Rita said. "I'll try to find out where it's going. I'm damn tired of chasing dead ends, Jack. This had better give us some straw to grasp at."

That night, Kate went back to her "flophouse", which really was more comfortable than it sounded, and went through her usual check of the locks, windows, and other possible points of entry or surveillance. After grabbing a snack and taking a quick shower, she settled into her nest on the sofa, made up of a sleeping bag and pillow and out of view of any windows or the door.

Tonight, instead of reading a few pages of the paperbacks she'd brought from the loft, she took out the disconnected laptop and Castle's usb drive and went through all the files. Nearly all of them were either copies of business letters he'd written or bits and pieces of "story fodder" as he called it - disconnected ideas, plot points, character traits that he might want to use someday. Most of it was typical of Castle and his thirst for detail. He'd even made a list of items to ask about at the precinct; he was still learning, still absorbing, still curious.

Kate felt a little bad about that, in light of today's staged argument and Castle's public banishment. She had to remind herself that he'd be back, that this charade wouldn't last forever. That she still wanted him there - that she hadn't meant anything she'd said to him today.

She shifted her mind away from those uneasy thoughts and opened the largest file, the one masquerading as Alexis' thesis.

The first part of the document listed what little they'd been able to find in terms of evidence regarding Castle's disappearance. The burning car, the money left in the dumpster, the security camera footage from the alley, Vinnie Cardano's scrap operation.

Castle had copied into the document her notes from the exhaustive search she'd conducted over that summer: the phone calls, notes from her interviews, names and dates. She knew he had access to her records and she wasn't at all disturbed that he'd added the data to his own quest for explanations. She was reminded, though, of how their methods differed - she was all about starting with evidence and facts, and he was more likely to start with outlandish theory and try to see where the evidence might fit into the story.

Somehow they always managed to meet in the middle and dig up the truth.

Now, why was he handing her this information? She read over the entire document quickly, not for comprehension but just to see what leaped out at her, and at the end of it was this note:

 _What if this wasn't about me?_

Well, she thought, supposedly it was about some emergency extraction in Thailand that only he could pull off. But I don't think he ever believed that story. I wonder what story he came up with. Then it occurred to her that maybe that was why he'd given her this document - just as she benefited from his talent for thinking outside the box, he might benefit from her eye for the mundane. Her skepticism.

Resolutely she went over the document again and made notes of her own, using the program's function to "hide" them, and saved the document back to the usb drive. She'd have to figure out how to get it back to him soon.


	15. Chapter 15

Vikram came to Kate's office, ostensibly to report on his progress with the encryption on a suspect's hard drive, and once that was covered he lowered his voice and said, "You should let me run a scan for listening devices, Captain."

"Here? I don't think so," Kate snorted. "That's Ryan's mission. Ever since he detected that camera on Lolita's collar - " She waved that story away. "Anyway. That won't be necessary, Vikram."

"Still - your cell phone, your apartment - "

"Do you have reason to believe that my cell has been compromised?"

"No," he said promptly. "I was just thinking, as a cautionary measure. I know I sound paranoid."

"I get it," said Kate, not unkindly. "It pays to be paranoid when people are actually after you." At Vikram's look of surprise, she added, "You don't think they've given up, do you? Just because we're acting like we have?"

"Wishful thinking, I guess," he said. "I know, I know. I tend to think my tech can hide me - if I haven't been hacked or bugged I think I'm safe."

"You're pretty new to the intelligence game, aren't you?"

She knew exactly how new he was, but she wanted to see what he'd admit to.

"Yeah. Not to the technology - though that was an attraction, all right! - but all the layers of intel and need-to-know and chain of command, that's more intense than I anticipated."

"The NYPD must seem like a walk in the park, after that sort of bureaucracy," said Kate wryly.

"I wouldn't say that," said Vikram. "Just a different bureaucracy. Better coffee, though."

Thanks to Castle, Kate thought. At least in my precinct.

"You were there," Vikram went on. "In DC. At the AG's office. What was it like for you, leaving that behind and coming back here?"

She felt a sudden reluctance to allow him into her personal life, any more than necessary. They weren't friends; they were colleagues only by accident; they had nothing in common except for their cause.

"Like coming home," she said. Then she took some papers from her In box and added, "And right now I have some housekeeping, so if that's it - ?"

Vikram took the hint and left.

* * *

An hour later, Kate called Ryan into her office and shut the door.

"Uh oh," he said in mock consternation. "What'd I do now, boss?"

"Guilty conscience, Ryan?" she teased. "No, I just wanted to ask if you'd had any further insight into that taxi accident."

"The one that put Castle in the hospital?" asked Ryan. "No new leads, if that's what you mean. Everything's ready to be filed - the final approval's in your box."

"I signed off on it," she said. "Just now. I wonder if you'd mind letting Castle know the case is closed, insufficient cause for charges."

She could tell that Ryan knew now that something was up. Narrowing his eyes, he replied, "No, I can do that, no problem. Anything in particular he should know?"

Kate drew the usb drive out of her pocket and set it on the desk between herself and Ryan, shielding it from anyone else's view with her hand laid on top of it. "No, just - I just don't want to get into conversation with him, right now. I'd appreciate it."

"I get it," said Ryan. "I'll call him. Go for a beer, or something."

* * *

 _Lucy: Begin replay of conversation between subjects "KR" and "Jr", [date/time]_

[door opens]

Jr: Hey, Ryan.

KR: Hey Castle. Can I come in?

Jr: Of course, of course. [door closes] What brings you here? You want some coffee?

KR: Sure, thanks. Hope I'm not interrupting anything?

Jr: Nothing important. Writing some notes, doing some research on - well, future plots, I hope.

KR: In that case, I hope I'm not interrupting a valuable train of thought.

Jr: [laughs] Nah, when I get one of those I ignore everything, including the phone and the door.

KR: How does Beckett - um, oops. Thanks. [gulps coffee]

Jr: She has a key. It's okay, Ryan. I don't expect anyone to make sense of me and Beckett these days.

KR: Well, that's one of the reasons I stopped by. She wanted me to let you know that the case of your cab accident is closed, signed off, insufficient evidence for any charges.

Jr: You could have called me for that, though. What about the other reasons?

KR: Javi and I want to let you know that you're still welcome to come over and play Halo 5. At his place, I mean - my house is kind of busy right now. And full of people who like peace and quiet.

Jr: Sure, I get it. [sound of a pencil writing] Maybe I should set something up in my office at the Old Haunt. Nobody cares if you yell down there. And we'd never run out of drinks and snacks.

KR: Damn, that would be sweet. As long as you're willing to have a cab on standby. Although maybe after your last experience…

Jr: Apart from the usual peril of finding a cab late at night in New York City, I am undaunted.

KR: 'Kay. Well, I gotta get back to work. Javi's in court today, so I had some time to tie up loose ends.

Jr: Guess that means I'm fit to be tied. [both laugh] Stop by any time, Kevin.

KR: Take care of yourself, Castle.

* * *

God bless the hot dog vendors, thought Kate as she approached the cart. This was the same guy who'd been parked here eight years ago, when she and Castle had first joined forces on the Tisdale murder.*

"You want a hot dog? I want a hot dog," he'd said. Right before she'd grabbed him by the ear and twisted. (He claimed later that that was the moment he started to fall in love with her.)

And there was Castle, sitting on a low wall nearby, munching away, a white bag on his lap, a soda beside him. He was wearing a baseball cap and the grubbiest clothes she'd ever seen on him, right down to the dirt on his sneakers. Kate got her lunch from the vendor and went over to the wall.

"Hey Castle," she said. "Slumming?"

He had risen at her approach and made a show of dusting off the bricks next to him. "Care to join me?"

They sat down and ate in companionable silence for a while, talking about the precinct and Castle's investigation business. Eventually he brought a couple of soft pretzels out of the bag and offered her one.

"Good exercise for your jaws," he said. "Much better than the clenching they're probably doing, now that you're the boss."

She grimaced at him, but accepted the pretzel, picking bites off it and popping them in her mouth. He'd passed the usb drive to her along with some napkins, so as far as their covert operations were concerned, her work here was done. Still she sat, unwilling to give up a moment of anything that provided the easy camaraderie she missed without him.

"Tisdale rewrote his will, you know," said Rick, seemingly out of the blue. "Left his fortune to the charity his daughter founded. He only left his son enough to pay his lawyer."

Kate looked up at the building in whose shadow they were sitting, where Jonathan Tisdale's office had been. "Really? How do you know?"

"Looked it up, just recently." Rick shrugged. "I'm having a bit of a - lull, writing-wise. Can't seem to access my usual verbal panache. So I've been doing some random research, trying to shake loose the cobwebs."

"Yeah? What else have you found?"

"Jeremy Preswick never regained the memories he lost, but he and Anne did remarry, about two years ago.** Principal Dunan retired last year from Faircroft, but I haven't been able to find out where he went."***

"Someplace where there are no cows," Kate suggested with a grin.

"Katrina - Rina - is now modeling for a major cosmetics company. She says it's easier than being on her feet on a runway, a million hours a day, and I quote."****

"Does she keep in touch with Alexis?"

Rick nodded. "Especially since they're both grown-ups now. More or less."

"Norman Jessup came by the precinct the other day," Kate said.

"Are you kidding me? Did he ever pursue his dream of becoming a locksmith?"*****

"He gave that up," she told him. "He's working at the main library as a shelver. He said, and I quote, that as libraries deal in words and knowledge rather than money, he wouldn't be tempted to return to his previous unlawful ways."

Rick laughed.

"He's apparently made friends with Jenkins - "

Rick stopped laughing. "Jenkins? - Oh, you mean Officer Jenkins from the 12th. Phew. For a second there I thought - "

Kate knew what he'd thought; she went on, "Jenkins saw him trying to pick someone's pocket, warned him off, and took him for a drink. To a cop bar, where Jessup couldn't make a move without scrutiny. I guess Jenkins has a soft spot for a goofball."

"Kind of like you and me. So they're buds now?"

"I wouldn't say that," said Kate. "But Ryan and Espo have been making use of his ears; he's pretty reliable as a confidential informant. Thus the precinct visit."

"Well, if you see him, give him my card," said Rick. "I can always use another man on the street."

Kate wiped her mouth and hands and picked up her soda.

"Back to the salt mines," she said. Castle stood with her, looking wistful.

"Wish I could share a cab," he said. "Even if I can't come inside the precinct…"

"Don't," said Kate, covering her eyes with a hand. "Not the puppy-dog eyes. No fair."

"You're right." He sighed, then brightened. "On the upside, I get to watch you walk away."

She brushed a few crumbs off her pants, solely to give him a chance to watch, then smiled at him, turned, and walked toward a line of cabs, making sure she let her hips sway more than usual as she did so.

* * *

 _Episode references:_

 _* Flowers for Your Grave_  
 _** The Fifth Bullet_  
 _*** Smells Like Teen Spirit_  
 _**** Inventing the Girl_  
 _***** Love Me Dead_


	16. Chapter 16

The morning paper had a grainy, long-range photo of Kate daintily eating her hot dog, sitting on a wall next to a man who looked like a bum. He had a layer of stubble over his chin and cheeks, his hair was slicked back under a baseball cap, which also hid the upper part of his face, and his jeans had stains and holes all over them.

 _Captain Beckett's gourmet lunch, with some lucky construction worker looking on. Is this the NYPD method of stepping out on one's spouse? Surely, Captain, you can do better than this!_

Ryan was quick to shove the newspaper under a pile of paperwork when Kate came out of her office, but she grinned and waved away any alarm.

"I've seen it," she said. "At least it isn't on Page Six."

"You're lucky Castle isn't on Page Six," chimed in Esposito. "Bad enough the papps jumping to conclusions about you. Don't you think this is pushing the separation thing too far?"

"I was just eating a hot dog. Sue me," said Kate with exaggerated nonchalance. "Meanwhile, where are we on the Scoville case?"

"Bringing in the lady now. D'you want to sit in on Interrogation?" Ryan asked.

"I'll catch it in reruns," she said.

"You're no fun any more," Espo grumbled, and she flicked a paper clip at him, just as her cell phone chimed.

"Beckett," Kate answered as she went back to her office.

"The guy from Panama," said a breathless male voice. "He's here."

"Where are you?" she asked quickly, assuming it was the driver who'd told them about the warehouse where the heroin had been delivered. Which they'd found empty.

"Can't say. Gonna drop my phone, where he can't see it. You can find it, right?"

"Wait - "

"I gotta go."

The line went dead and immediately Kate called Vikram on her cell. He was in her office in moments and she wasted no time.

"Can you track down a cell phone once the call has been terminated?" she asked, closing the door on them. "I just got a call from Mr. Mackey. He said he couldn't tell me where he was, but that the guy from Panama was there."

"Did your phone show the number he called from? Lemme see."

She did so and Vikram worked with her phone for a minute. At last he said, "I can try to ping it, see where he called from. No guarantee that he'll still be there."

"It'll give us a place to start," said Kate firmly. "Can you use the tech room up here? I don't want to get too far from my phone, in case he calls back."

"Sure," said Vikram. He took her phone and left the room, and Kate stuck her head out the door into the bullpen.

"Ryan," she said, pitching her voice low. Ryan looked up from his desk and nodded at Kate, then rose from his desk and came into her office.

Several minutes passed in silence as Ryan scanned her office, once, twice, then concentrated on her desk phone. Kate sat on the couch, trying not to fidget or ask questions, waiting for the result of the scan. At last Ryan looked over at her and pointed at the phone, raised two fingers, then drew a question mark in the air.

Kate shook her head, counting her blessings that she, Ryan, and Esposito still had the knack of reading each other so clearly, then sneaked a peek out the door. At her gesture, Ryan followed her out and around into the back hallway, where Esposito was loitering.

"So?" asked Espo.

"Two bugs," Ryan reported. "Both attached to the phone, one to listen on the line, one to pick up the room. Redundancy, in case someone finds one but not the other."

"Primitive," said Kate. "I'd expect something a lot more subtle from him. He's got my cell phone right now and I don't doubt he'll fiddle with something on it, so be careful what you say around it."

"Right," said Esposito. "How long are we gonna put up with this snake in the grass?"

"I can't say," Kate said. "I don't want to just fire him; God only knows what he'd pull in retaliation, and even during the probationary period I'd have to give reason for termination."

"Why'd you have me scan in the first place? Can't we prove he planted those bugs?" said Ryan.

"Maybe. But for now I'd like to use them to our advantage."

"We can't tap into the output," Ryan told her. "He's the only one who can get at that data."

"Yeah, but we can mess him up," said Esposito. "Keep him busy with misinformation while we figure out what he's up to." He looked at Kate and said pointedly, "And why our captain isn't making a bigger deal out of this."

"I swear, you guys, the moment I have anything to tell you, I will," she promised.

"Does this have something to do with Castle?" Ryan asked.

"Indirectly," she said. "Don't say anything to him, okay?"

"For the record, I think that's a bad idea," said Esposito. "You're the one who's always saying that three heads is better than one. Four would be even better, especially when it's Castle's. And don't ever tell him I said that."

"Noted," Kate said and went back to her office to wait for Vikram. She didn't have to wait long.

"I got a location," he said breathlessly as he appeared in her office doorway. "Sky Rink. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah," said Kate. She didn't have to fake her surprise; Sky Rink was on the West Side, at the Chelsea Piers complex, and a strangely public place for a sanitation driver and his shot-caller to meet up. "So much for lurking in corners."

"Come on, then," Vikram urged, but Kate shook her head.

"If we keep bolting out of here at the same time, it's going to raise suspicion," she said. "You go."

"By myself? What if it's a trap?"

"It isn't," said Kate with complete confidence. "Too public. Just stay visible, and hit the panic button if things get iffy. See if you can get any further information out of Mackey, but don't follow the guy from Panama if he's still there. Just get eyes on him so we can try to ID him later."

"I'd feel better if you came with me," said Vikram. "Two heads are better than one, and all."

Kate suppressed an urge to sigh, got up, and went out to the bullpen with Vikram in tow.

"Hey Ryan, how's business?" she asked.

"Nothing that can't wait," said Ryan. "What do you got, Cap?"

"I need you to go with Vikram," she said. "He needs to check out a C.I. over at Chelsea Piers. Nothing lethal, but I'd feel better if he had backup."

She could almost hear Vikram's mouth opening and shutting as he stood behind her, probably freaked out at her reaction.

"If Detective Esposito can spare you, that is," said Kate with a grin. Espo waved from his desk, where his nose was buried in a newspaper.

Vikram and Ryan were dispatched, and Kate went back into her office, where she found her cell phone on her desk. Instead of using it, she picked up her desk phone and made a call.

As soon as the person on the other end answered, Kate said, "Thai food is pleasing to the tongue," and hung up.

Then she grabbed her coat and bag and left, giving the bullpen a wide berth and taking the stairs down to the street.


	17. Chapter 17

Kate took the stairs up to the seventh floor and counted her workout done for the day. She came out of the stairwell barely winded and eased the door shut, then went quietly over to the door marked #712. The office inside was dark; using the key she'd been given, she unlocked the door and ducked inside, re-locked it behind her, and moved along the wall as far out of sight of the windows as possible, until she reached a tall bookshelf and found The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Before she even touched the book, though, the secret door swung open partway, showing a dimly lit room. Kate's gun came immediately to the fore; she edged her way into the back room and heaved a sigh of relief when she spotted the man standing behind the bar.

"Clear," said Castle with a smirk.

"Some day you'll get too sneaky for your own good and lose an ear," Kate snapped as she put her gun away. The door slid closed behind her and Castle did something that brought the lights up to a soft glow. "You got my call, I take it."

"And the cheesy message," he grinned. Coming out from behind the bar, he helped her remove her coat, hung it up, and stood clear while she took off her holster and laid it, her gun, and her badge on a low table. Then she turned and threw her arms around him, feeling his hands spread over her back and his face nuzzling against her neck.

He lifted his head, only to fasten his mouth to hers for a long, hard kiss; Kate clutched at his shoulders and his hair and felt the tension in her body shift from stress and strain into desire and need.

She'd managed to unfasten all the buttons on Rick's shirt and was starting to work on his belt buckle when he broke the kiss to say, "So, this is a booty call? I would have showered. In fact, I have a shower, behind the bar - "

Kate laughed and paused in her mission to get him naked. "Somehow I don't think you'd mind if it were just a booty call," she said. "I do have some things I want to discuss, though. One that came up just before I called you."

"That's my line, isn't it?" he leered. "Can it wait? The discussion, I mean."

"I don't think so," she said reluctantly. "Does this establishment serve coffee?"

It did, though the bartender's dress code was extremely distracting, consisting of a loosened belt and a completely unbuttoned and open shirt. Kate sat on a stool while he leaned on the bar.

"My office and phone are bugged," she said. "And I'm pretty sure my cell is, too, but I haven't tested that theory yet."

"By whom?" asked Rick.

"I think it's Vikram's doing."

"Vikram? But why?" Rick was startled. "I thought he was on our side. Your side, I mean."

"He's working with me, on the LokSat case," said Kate. "But I don't know what his ultimate goal is. I mean, once we find out who's behind it, I intend to expose them - take them down - in any way possible. I guess I just - I'm not sure what's in it for Vikram."

"Maybe he's the 'truth, justice, and the American Way' type," said Rick lightly. "Like Superman."

"Maybe. I can't help feeling as though he's got some other axe to grind, though."

"Coming back to the bugging," Rick said, "did you say your cell phone might be?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. Don't worry, though - I left it locked in my desk at the precinct."

"Aren't you supposed to be on call, Captain?"

Kate smirked and pulled a device out of her pocket. "Burner phone. Only Ryan and Espo have the number, and they'll call if anything needs my immediate attention."

"How much do *they* know?" asked Rick.

"Only that I'm on the trail of something big that has to stay under the NYPD's radar, and that I need Vikram's tech skills to help me. I impressed upon them that they and their families would be in danger if I told them anything more."

"What about - do they know - " Rick's eloquence failed him, and he just gestured back and forth between them. Kate took his hand.

"I told them that what's going on between you and me is personal."

"Same thing you told me," he muttered. "Did they buy it?"

The bitterness in his tone stirred her to move, tugging his hand until he came out from behind the bar and stood between her knees as she sat on the bar stool.

"I don't care," she said softly. "And I'm sorry I ever tried to get you to buy it. From now on the only secrets I plan to keep concern your birthday, and Christmas."

"So, in the interest of full disclosure..." he said, unbuttoning her blouse.

"I love you," said Kate, and kissed him.

There was no further professional discussion that afternoon.

* * *

When Kate got back to her office after her extended "lunch hour", the first person in her office was Vikram.

"We need to talk," he said in a low voice, shutting the door behind him.

"About what?" said Kate, deliberately picking paperwork out of her "in" box and looking through it. She was having a hard time taking Vikram seriously at the moment. Being around Castle frequently had that effect on her.

"That phone call, this morning," he said. "We never found the guy, or the phone. I tracked the signal to Sky Rink, but he must have dropped the phone out of sight or something. He never called you back?"

"Not that I know of," said Kate honestly. "One more dead end, huh?"

"You don't seem worried about it," said Vikram, looking puzzled. "Something might have happened to the guy. Maybe someone took him out."

"Well," said Kate, looking up from the papers in front of her, "if his body shows up anywhere in the city, I'll hear about it. We can worry about him then. Anything else?"

He admitted there was nothing else, and he left still looking mildly confused. Kate unlocked her desk drawer and took out her cell phone, slipped it into her pocket, and went into the break room to make some coffee.

"Captain," said Esposito. "You want a debrief on Ryan's jaunt out to the West Side with your boy there?"

"Gimme a minute, then meet me in the same place."

He nodded. Ten minutes later, Kate had produced an acceptable cup of coffee and joined Espo and Ryan in the back hallway.

"This is becoming my second home," she remarked. "So what happened?"

Ryan went through the account of his travels with Vikram, consisting of a vague description of the latter's "informant" and the fruitless search for the phone he'd been "tracing". Kate heard the skepticism in Ryan's tone and smiled.

"I knew the call was faked," she said quietly. "I gave the informant the number of my desk phone, not my cell. I only give my cell number to people I know."

"You knew it was fake and you sent me on a wild goose chase?" Ryan was annoyed.

Kate pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned it on, asking, "What time did you get back from Chelsea Piers?"

Ryan told her. She looked through her call log, noted the lack of voicemail, and showed it to both detectives - then turned it off again.

"It appears I had three more calls from the same number, after you and Vikram got back to the precinct. Whoever it was didn't leave a message. Wouldn't someone with an urgent matter leave some kind of message?"

"I'm guessing you think Vikram's behind the false lead. That he's the one who made the calls, disguising his voice."

"I do. I don't know what he's hoping to accomplish, though." Besides interrupting my time with my husband, she thought.


	18. Chapter 18

[door opens]

Jr: Vikram.

Si: Mr. Castle, hi. Um, can I come in? [pause, then sounds of footsteps and the door closing]

Jr: What are you doing here?

Si: I wanted to talk to you, in private. About - about Kate.

Jr: [sternly] You mean Captain Beckett.

Si: Huh?

Jr: You don't get to call her Kate. She's Kate to her friends. You are not her friend.

Si: I think that's up to her.

Jr: When you're talking to me about my wife? You call her Captain Beckett. Now, what did you want to talk about?

Si: I'm guessing she told you about the circumstances that brought me to New York… I'd probably be dead, if it weren't for her. [silence] And I'm sorry about whatever's up with your marriage… [silence] Ooooo...kay… Well, I wanted to ask you, actually, to not use your P.I. work to gain access to NYPD cases.

Jr: Is this an official request?

Si: No - no, it's just, I can see she's worried and distracted and there are a couple of tough ones that she needs to focus on. And worrying about you is making her lose focus. [silence, footsteps] Wow, this really is nice. Is that where you write - ?

Jr: [with barely suppressed rage] You've got a lot of nerve, Vikram.

Si: Well, thanks -

Jr: It wasn't a compliment. You come in here claiming to be her friend, thinking that you know anything about our relationship, our marriage? And you make this presumptuous and, may I add, pointless request for me to change my behavior? Because you think it would never occur to me to comply with the wishes of my own wife, whom you seem to think you know better than I.

Si: Castle -

Jr: If she's worried and distracted and losing focus - that's not down to me, Vikram. That's down to her. She knows exactly where to find help for that. And I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but it ain't you.

Si: What the hell does that mean?

Jr: That means that no matter what you say to me, or to her, or to anyone else, you will never, ever win her trust like I have. And if your endgame is to ride off into the sunset with her, you can just give that up right now.

Si: Are you kidding me right now? Do you really think I'm trying to -

Jr: I don't care what you're trying to do. All I care about right now is Kate, and her well-being. Can you say the same?

Si: Of course! Why else would I be here?

Jr: [sighs, suddenly deflated] You know what, just go. Get out.

Si: Mr. Castle, I -

Jr: [door opening] Out. Now. Please. And unless it's on official NYPD business, don't try to contact me again.

[footsteps, door closing]

Jr: [quietly] Okay, Lucy, what've you got?

Lucy: [just as quietly] My operating system is -

Jr: You know what I mean.

Lucy: The pillar closest to the stairs.

[sounds of fumbling, scratching]

Jr: Got it. Want a look?

Lucy: I don't have eyes, Rick, you know that.

Jr: I haven't encountered this species before. Sure you don't want to - examine it?

Lucy: On second thought… [long pause] I haven't encountered it, either. I don't think it's worth keeping, though, do you?

Jr: Nope. Garbage disposal, you think?

Lucy: May I suggest burial at sea? Easier on the appliances.

Jr: So appropriate. [footsteps, faint sound of a toilet flushing, footsteps coming back] So, what can you tell me about it?

Lucy: Transmit audio only, no recording function. Quite simple - and homemade.

Jr: Would it be plausible for an amateur to build one?

Lucy: A gifted amateur could figure it out, easily. I take it Vikram's qualifications are more extensive?

Jr: He's a gifted _professional_. He managed to avert an incursion into whatever network he and Beckett are using to work on - whatever they're working on. An incursion by another gifted professional.

Lucy: Wow. What happened?

Jr: Cat videos happened. But that's not important right now. Right now I need to figure out why Vikram wanted to bug my loft.

Lucy: By your own account, Vikram has tried on multiple occasions to keep you and your wife apart.

Jr: This was the most direct attempt so far. [long pause] He doesn't know me very well, obviously. The best way to get me to do something is to warn me off it.

Lucy: I think it's called "reverse psychology". You've used it in your books.

Jr: My - Have you read my books?

Lucy: Alexis uploaded your entire works to my drive last week. They're fascinating.

Jr: Insights into human nature, eh?

Lucy: Actually, they've given me a lot of insight into your personality, Rick.

Jr: [after a pause, sarcastically] Remind me to thank Alexis for that.

Lucy: No problem!

* * *

"Maz."

"Kanata," said Jackson Hunt. "Still with the pop culture?"

"You can pick something classical, next time," retorted Rita. "I think we should tell him."

"He doesn't trust me, and he's never met you," Jackson argued. "What would be the point?"

"If we tell him the truth about that summer, he might trust both of us more."

"Yeah, after he's done being pissed off and appalled. Pissed off and appalled would make him an easier target for anyone trying to get close enough to kill him."

"Give him some credit," Rita snorted. "Besides, he's got herself to back him up. If it looks like he's compromised, she'll keep him from doing anything - irreversible."

"Really? Like he did in Paris?"

That silenced Rita for a minute. Jackson went on, "He took matters into his own hands. He was overconfident, in spite of his contacts and their shadowy connections. He would have been killed, and Little Red with him, if I hadn't been watching his six. That's pretty irreversible."

"So, you think we should leave that summer alone? Concentrate on Dreamworld and LokSat and just skip over his abduction?"

"Until it becomes inevitable that he know," said Jackson. "He wasn't injured - not seriously - and he got back home on his own. Surprisingly badass of him. Wish he hadn't left the damn videos, though."

"It is what it is." Rita sounded suddenly weary. "I'm getting on a plane, Jack. Leads here have petered out - again! and I might as well be working there as here."


	19. Chapter 19

When she got home that night, Kate got out her disconnected laptop and opened the new document in the list, created within the last week - after their office rendezvous. There was a note from Castle right at the top of the document.

 _Hello, gorgeous - I hope my notes from my lost summer have provided you with something to occupy your mind besides your current hush-hush assignment. In the meantime, I've gone back over a couple of our other big cases and I'm trying to tease out a few ideas that have been floating around my brain._

 _With that in mind, after you read this, you may want to stand back, as it will self-destruct in 15 seconds._

Kate snorted at that, then read on. The document consisted of Castle's notes on LokSat - and on the Valkyrie case.

Kate had been surprised, earlier, at how much Castle already knew about LokSat, even without the information she'd given him the night of their anniversary. Proof that trying to exclude him from investigating was not only futile, but actually counter-productive. He was a far better asset than anyone knew - though at their first meeting she would have denied it flat out.

She was surprised, now, at how much he recalled of the Valkyrie case. It had unfolded during her stint at the Attorney General's office, the same place where Rachel McCord and her colleagues were employed at the time of their deaths. The place where Vikram had stumbled across the memo that had changed some lives - and ended others.

"Valkyrie" was the code name of a young woman who had been undercover as a servant in a house in Jalalabad during the Gulf War. The house was used by several followers of al-Qaeda who were connected to terrorist Anwar Zawahiri. Zawahiri had been killed in an airstrike that destroyed the house, and when Kate and her partners at the AG had looked into the operation, they'd found evidence that the commanding officer who ordered the strike - then-General Reed - had known that there was an American operative in the house, and ordered the strike anyway.

Those who risked their lives in the line of duty, especially undercover agents, deserved all the respect in the world, thought Kate. And they knew the dangers of the job. But they shouldn't have to watch their back for "friendly" fire. And there had never been a formal inquiry into Reed's actions - one of the things, Kate knew, that had made her doubt her choice to become a federal agent.

She read on. Castle's idea was that "Valkyrie" - Farrah Usman - had discovered something about the drug trade that Simmons had been running, bringing heroin into the U.S. with the help of the mysterious LokSat. The trade that had funded William Bracken's super PAC. If Castle was right, it would be too much of a coincidence for such a person to be killed in an airstrike officially meant to kill Zawahiri.

 _Farrah Usman = Valkyrie: heroin trade? Not associated specifically with Zawahiri - written off as collateral damage. What if she knew something about Z or the trade - or Reed - and was killed for it?_

Still, if her death had been deliberate, someone under Reed's command must have known not only that she was an agent, but also that she had intel about the heroin trade.

Reed had been Secretary of Defense at the time of the AG's investigation; he was retired now, still living in Washington and active in party politics.

Kate typed in her own note: _What if Reed knew about the heroin trade and Usman's intel, and took an opportunity to eliminate her along with Zawahiri? What if he did so in order to prevent his part in the LokSat operation from becoming public? What if Reed and Bracken were two corners of a triad that included LokSat?_

That idea merited discussion, and in person; building theory with Castle was a live, face-to-face process at best, so she saved and closed the file, then turned to the file with their combined notes on his disappearance.

Castle's recent notes pointed out that, of the information they'd accumulated on his disappearance, very little could be corroborated; it was nearly all hearsay.

 _1\. I made a drop of some kind on the East Side, and appeared conscious and aware while doing it. No proof of what was in the bag, or why I did it._

 _2\. The only proven connection between me and Jeff Powers is a similar strain of dengue fever._

 _3\. Only proven connection between me and Not-Jenkins is the photo in Montreal and his appearance at the warehouse._

 _Most important:_ (Castle had underlined this several times)

 _There is no proof that I requested my memory be erased or altered. The word of Not-Jenkins and Bilal Khan does not constitute proof. And as Alexis pointed out, it would be out of character for me to make that request._

The last sentence rang true for Kate. Just as she'd believed (okay, with a few moments of doubt) that Castle would never run from marrying her, just as he'd believed that he'd never set up a camp in the location where they found it, just as she feared how far he'd go to back her up on her current mission - she had an idea what constituted "in character" for him.

It was, put simply, a truer story than what they'd both been told.

* * *

The next day, Kate took a walk at lunch and made a call from a public phone in an out-of-the-way side street.

"Richard Castle Investigations," said a crisp young voice on the other end of the line.

"Alexis, it's me."

"Okay," said Alexis cautiously. "Do you have a case for us?"

Kate thanked her lucky stars that Alexis was so quick to realize the call might not be secure.

"I have information about a case related to the accident," said Kate.

"You can deliver the information this evening, at Eddie's. Can't be sure of the time."

"That's fine. Thanks very much."

After her shift, Kate made a stop at her temporary apartment before heading out to the Old Haunt - where "Eddie" still tickled the ivories on the weekends. The place was more crowded than usual, with people younger than usual who seemed to be celebrating someone's college graduation.

Kate was about to find a secluded corner when she caught the eye of a young redhead who appeared to be the ringleader. Alexis tapped her nose lightly and inclined her head in the direction of the office stairs.

At the foot of the stairs the door was ajar; she pushed it open slowly and poked her head inside. Castle was at his desk, writing in a notebook, and when he heard the door close behind her he looked up and quickly laid a finger on his own lips.

Kate nodded and crossed to the sofa; Castle joined her with his notebook and showed her what he'd written moments before.

 _Not sure if we're bugged. Too easy to get in here._

She smiled, recalling the secret route to the river via James Walker's secret wine cellar. Taking his pen, she wrote in the notebook.

 _News about cab accident. Body found in park directly across from Old Haunt, think it's the bomber._

Rick's eyebrows went up. He wrote: _C.O.D.?_

Kate: Blunt force trauma, head and most of the body. No weapon found; Lanie thinks it was a baseball bat.

Rick: What links to cab?

Kate: Traces of chemical elements on clothes/hands, unique to a certain kind of explosive.

Rick: Random killing?

Kate: Man suspected of planting a bomb on a cab in front of the O.H., now found dead in the vicinity? Also, not killed in the park; body left there on purpose. Not so random.

Rick: If someone's trying to send a message, I'm not getting it.

Kate: My message to you: Be careful! Anything could happen. You said so.

Rick grinned and pulled her into an embrace. After some time, during which the silence was broken only by heavy breathing and the slide of clothes against other clothes, Rick picked up the notebook again and wrote.

Rick: The only place I'm sure isn't bugged is my secret lair at the P.I. office.

Kate: The loft?

Rick: I have my doubts. Ran a scan early on and it was clean - time to run another, I guess.

Kate: We need to talk about the accident, not just notes.

Rick: How about your secret strip-club lair?

Kate: Might work. I'll let you know.

Rick wrote _Gotta go?_ and drew a sad face. Kate drew a smile over the frown and wrote under it _Burn after reading_. Rick drew a face rolling its eyes and under it wrote _Duh_.

She kissed him goodbye and escaped.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N:** Thanks to one and all for your comments and observations. Just a reminder: this story was begun immediately after the events of XY/XX and has gone AU from there. There are some similarities to the current canon, but overall this takes a different direction. It's been an exercise for me, trying to keep straight which is which!_

* * *

She came in the next morning to find not only Ryan and Esposito, but Hayley as well, waiting for her.

When they were sequestered in her office, Kate said, "I'm guessing this is about Castle somehow."

Hayley looked impressed. "Good guess," she said. "That body you found in the park was working under an assumed name."

"His real name is Bill Satterburn," said Espo. "His alias, Wesley McFadden, was one of those Hayley was investigating when we first met. Stolen, only used on this job - so far."

"As Satterburn, he's been up for B & E, minor drug possession, and public drunkenness," Ryan added. "When we searched his apartment we also found makings for various kinds of incendiary devices."

Kate recalled the residue found on the victim's clothing and nodded. "So, you think he's the one who planted the bomb on the cab."

"Planted it," said Espo. "But he didn't make it. He was a small time IED guy; the type of device we're theorizing blew up the cab is more sophisticated. He was out of his league."

"Why would a minor offender take up a job this dangerous?" Kate muttered. "Maybe an offer he couldn't refuse? Maybe he was hoping to move up in the world?"

"Or down, as the case may be," said Hayley. "Should I tell Rick about this?"

Kate sighed. She could just see him rushing over to the precinct, eager to get his nose into the case, which might prove more hindrance than help.

"Until we can prove the vic's connection to the accident, better not," she replied.

LT stuck his head into her office. "Captain, someone to see you. Name of Rita."

Kate's pulse leaped. "Guys, I need to talk to her," she told her team, and Espo and Ryan nodded. All three of her visitors left - and were followed by Kate, who met up with an older woman in the hall near the elevators.

"Rita," said Kate. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Can we talk in your office?" said Rita without preamble.

"Nope," said Kate. "Bugged. I know a place."

Rita nodded and they got on the elevator, left the building, and strolled to a diner nearby that was frequented at this hour by commuters and cops. Once she'd ordered coffee, Kate said to Rita, "Is Castle all right?"

"Physically, he seems fine," said Rita. "I think he's having flashbacks again, though."

"Have you been in contact with him?" Kate was alarmed and annoyed; had Castle been hiding something from her about his alleged stepmother? Then she caught herself, thinking sheepishly that she was a fine one to talk.

"I need you to listen to this," Rita said, placing an mp3 player and an earbud on the table. Kate put the earbud in and Rita turned on the player. "This was last night, around eight o'clock."

It sounded like a large room, with a television broadcast playing in the background, footsteps, a refrigerator opening and closing, a bottle opener. A human voice said clearly, "Oh come on. Really? A commencement speech?"

The next bit sounded enhanced, as if to bring out the sound of the TV, and Kate heard an oddly familiar voice. A man, older, formal, measured.

"It's because of the leadership of this university that I stand before you today, satisfied with the good I've been able to accomplish in this world, this day and age. I've had a good, fruitful, interesting life, and it all began right here, in Omaha."

Something about his tone disturbed Kate. She looked over at Rita, who paused the recording.

"You know him," she said to Kate. "Former Secretary of Defense Michael Reed. The man whose wife was nearly killed at their home in Washington, D.C. two years ago."

"Same time Castle almost died, from the same cause," Kate murmured. "He ordered an airstrike in Jalalabad that killed al-Qaeda's number two man."

"And succeeded in killing an American operative code named Valkyrie," Rita said, just as quietly. "Now, this is half an hour later; Reed's been droning on the whole time."

She fast-forwarded to a later part of the recording. Reed's voice was still going; Kate heard a door open and close, something dropped on the floor, a woman's voice, shockingly familiar.

"Dad?"

Kate hit the pause button herself this time and glared at Rita. "This is the loft. That's Alexis."

Rita nodded. "Yes, it is. Keep listening."

"Does he know you're recording him?"

"Of course not."

"Then it's unethical for me to be listening to this," said Kate, going to pull the earbud out of her ear. Rita's hand forestalled her.

"I'm sure it is, dear," she said. "Just a minute more. I promise, you'll be glad you did."

Perplexed, Kate pressed PLAY and went on listening. Alexis' light footsteps sounded in the kitchen, then moved away into what Kate now knew was the living room area.

"Dad," Alexis called again. "Hey, Dad, what are you doing? ...Dad?"

The television went silent, and Alexis' voice was loud and clear now, as if she were trying to wake someone up.

"Dad, give me that. Okay, now sit. Sit down! Can you hear me? Are you okay?"

At last there was a low, unintelligible mumble - Castle, probably - and Alexis, sounding relieved.

"Don't scare me like that. What were you watching that had you all hypnotized?"

Rita turned off the recorder and took back the earbud, tucking both in her pocket.

"There's nothing informative after that," she said. "I'm guessing that Richard stood there watching Reed's speech for half an hour, and if Alexis hadn't come him he might be staring at the four walls still. Once she turned off the TV he was fairly unresponsive for another 45 minutes. Afterward he couldn't remember what triggered him or why."

"You think it was Reed," Kate said flatly, recalling how Castle's dream images had been triggered by the sight of Ilya Golovkin in the background of a news report on television.

"The only other catalyst that seems likely is the beer he was drinking," said Rita. "And it was a sealed container."

"Which leads me to the next question: how did you get hold of this recording, and how long has the loft been bugged?"

Rita sat back, and Kate wondered if she was working on a plausible half-truth. At last the other woman said, "The device that recorded this has been in the loft since two days after you walked out. There are only two people who can access either a live feed or recording from it, and I'm not telling you who the other one is."

"As long as it isn't LokSat," Kate snapped, though she was fairly sure that Rita wasn't part of that operation.

"Someone as far from it as I am," Rita assured her. "But you should know that I'm not the only one trying to snoop on your husband. Vikram Singh tried to plant a bug at the loft a couple of days ago."

"What!" Kate was ready to bolt off to confront her protege, but Rita gave her a look and Kate sat down again. "Why would Vikram want to eavesdrop on Castle?"

"I don't know. I haven't been able to get ears on Vikram, either, but then he's a tech genius. I knew it was a long shot. You said your office is bugged - do you think he's on the other end of it?"

Kate told Rita about Vikram's eagerness to have her office scanned - "probably to lull you into a false sense of security" said Rita - the bogus "tip" call, and the likelihood that Vikram had planted either a tracker or a wire tap in her phone during the hour he'd had it to himself in the tech room.

"Little booger," Rita muttered. "Do you have your phone right now?"

"I left it in my desk," said Kate. "I have a secondary phone that only three people have access to. None of whom are Vikram."

"Well, he's up to something," said Rita. "Wonder what. Want me to keep an eye on him?"

"No, I'd actually rather you keep an eye on Castle," Kate sighed. She wasn't about to tell Rita that she and Castle were more or less reconciled. She made a mental note to watch herself if she and Castle were ever at the loft in the near future.

"You wouldn't have to worry about that if you'd stayed put," was Rita's remark. "I told you to be careful - I didn't think you'd actually leave him."

"It's temporary," Kate protested. "It's - necessary. I'm not going to risk anything happening to him because of my investigation - "

"This may be a puzzle you can't solve without his help, Kate."

"Given a choice between calling on him for help and leaving him out of the loop, I think the latter is less dangerous."

Rita shrugged. "Maybe. Less likely, though, I think."

She rose and clasped Kate's hand in farewell.

"I'll see what I can do," she said. "You watch your six."


	21. Chapter 21

"You're still here," said Rita, leaning up on her elbows and looking down at her husband. "Wow."

"Yeah, well, I was enjoying the view," said Jackson, grinning.

"Me in the morning? You're one sick s.o.b."

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

Rita laughed, for the first time in ages.

"So," she said. "About McFadden. That was you, wasn't it?"

"The interrogation begins."

She just stared at him in her wide-eyed cat-like way; it was the only expression he ever (eventually) gave under.

"All I did was rough him up some," said Jackson. "I didn't kill him. It can't have been a coincidence, though. Someone was after him, probably to shut him up. No one's come after me, so they probably didn't see him talking to me."

"So he talked to you, did he?"

"I'm gonna need coffee for this conversation," Jackson grumbled. He didn't need coffee to wake himself up, or to focus on any task, however immediate or dangerous - but he did need it to have an intelligent conversation with his wife.

His wife rolled her eyes and got up to call room service, then to take a shower. When she emerged from the bathroom there was coffee, among other breakfast items, and Jackson was seated in an armchair wearing a bathrobe.

"He talked," he said promptly. "He was the one who rolled that incendiary device across the street to stick on to Richard's cab. Something went wrong, though; the device was supposed to be planted under the back seat, not the engine compartment, which is how the cab driver was killed and Richard got off with manageable injuries."

"Did he know anything about the collision?"

"No. He said that he was in contact with his 'people' and reported the location of the device on the cab, at which point his contact got very angry and cut the connection. He hadn't heard from anyone since, and he wanted the rest of his payment. Thought he could get it out of me, in return for the information."

"The crash was probably their plan B," said Rita thoughtfully. "Why, though? Why not just detonate the explosive and take what damage they could get?"

"Probably wanted it to pass for an accident," Jackson shrugged. "At least to gain time, until they could scramble some kind of cover story or alibi. Kind of convoluted way to kill Richard, if that's what they were after."

This observation, while inappropriate to any normal breakfast conversation, only whetted Rita's curiosity even more.

"If these are the same people I'm trying to hunt down," she said, "they're off their game lately. They used to be better at sudden strikes, fake accidents. The story behind McCord and the car accident is plausible - the knifing of their remaining member, less so. And Hyde's death seemed like a rush job."

"Which is why the boss lady smelled something off," said Jackson. "Her perception of a crime scene is - unique. Must be what attracted him to her. Well, one thing."

"There's only one other item I have to report," said Rita. "I was listening to Lucy's feed yesterday, and something on the television seems to have had an effect on Richard. The voice of Michael Reed."

"Reed? They had barely any contact, and that was two years ago. What happened to Richard?"

"From the audio, he seemed to have gone into a catatonic state. He was talking to the TV, then Reed began his speech - University of Omaha commencement - and then no sound from Richard until Little Red came home and apparently found him still standing there staring."

"Hm. I think I'll go find video of that speech, see if anything jumps out at me."

Mindful of Rita's admission of the bug in the loft, Kate called her husband from the land line in her office, hoping that she could drop the right hints without tipping off whoever else was listening.

"What can I do for you today, Captain?" said Rick on the other end.

"You can tell your lovely assistant that the lead on your cab accident went nowhere," Kate said briskly. "The stiff in the park was just a minor offender."

"A dead end, as it were," Castle chuckled. "Why didn't you call her yourself? Oho, you wanted to hear my voice. I see how it is."

"Don't get cocky, kid," Kate told him. "I figured you'd want to hear it from the horse's mouth."

"Oh, I wouldn't refer to you - or anyone at the 12th - as a horse - "

"By the book," Kate interrupted. "You know me."

There was a nearly imperceptible pause in Castle's chatter; then he went on, "So he wasn't the droid we're looking for. Well, thanks for the update, Trigger."

"Happy trails," said Kate and ended the call.

When she looked up, Vikram was hovering in the doorway.

"What is it, Vikram?" She waved him to come in and he did so, shutting the door behind him.

"The truck driver," said the young man. "He didn't show up for work today. I couldn't make any further inquiries for fear I'd attract attention, but from what I can tell his route has been taken over by another guy."

"Same route?"

"Don't know yet," said Vikram. "We should follow him, see if he picks up at the public docks like the first guy."

"I'd appreciate it if you handled that," Kate said. "Like I said, I can't keep skipping out of here. I have duties to carry out and not enough time to do 'em as it is." She smiled reassuringly. "I'll make myself available for in-depth brainstorming soon, I promise."

"We have to do this together, you know?" said Vikram in a quieter voice. "I can't bring down LokSat on my own. Not without your experience and skills."

"I do know, Vikram. I've been a cop a lot longer than you've been an agent - trust me, I'll know when the going gets tough and I'll be there."

Vikram looked unconvinced; Kate didn't care. She'd just given Castle the code for a meeting and she had a lot of "captain stuff" to get done before the end of the day.

"Carry on," she said pointedly, and Vikram took the hint and left.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N:** Just a reminder that this story diverges from canon after 8x02, so if you're not into alternative plot lines, feel free to move on._

* * *

Kate had left work on a roundabout route to Castle's P.I. office when her burner phone buzzed in her pocket.

"Come to the loft," said Rick.

"It's bugged, babe."

"Doesn't matter right now. I need you here."

"We need to be private. I'll meet you at the original location. Is Alexis there?"

"She is." The phone was handed off and Alexis said, "What's up?"

"We can't meet at the loft. Is there a problem? He sounds - rattled."

"No problem. The inner sanctum?"

"See you there."

This terse conversation led all three of them to the secret room at Richard Castle Investigations. Kate got there first, and when the other two came up in the lift Castle stepped out and went swiftly to open the office door so they could slip inside, then shut and bolted it behind them. Still in silence, he opened the door to the inner room and secured it once they were all inside.

Then he pulled Kate into his arms and kissed her, urgently, as if his life depended on it - until a feminine throat was cleared behind him.

"Dad," said Alexis. "Talk now, hug later? Hi, Kate."

Apart from a few terse calls, Kate hadn't been in contact with Alexis much, and the smile the young woman gave her was reassuring.

"Hey, Alexis," she said, keeping hold of Rick's hand and towing him over to where Alexis sat on the couch. "Good to see you."

"You used the 'by the book' code," Rick pointed out. "Immediate meeting."

They sat on the sofa while Kate told them about her conversation with Rita, including the description of Rick's reaction to Reed's speech the previous day.

"And you believe her, when she says she's Dad's stepmother?" Alexis asked.

"I do," said Kate. "She appears to have his - our - best interests at heart. It was her comment about relationships and liabilities that contributed to my decision to leave. Which I have already reversed. I'm pretty sure she was telling me to back off the investigation, not my marriage, but I took the bit in my teeth and ran with it."

Alexis looked both relieved and confused. "But why haven't you moved back in?"

"We're keeping up the appearance, in case it means anything to anyone watching," said Rick. "I think that strategy has outlived its usefulness, though, Kate."

"I'm not sure it was useful in the first place," Kate muttered.

"Speaking of anyone watching," Rick went on, "how exactly does Rita know about what goes on in my house?"

"She played me a recording - which I wouldn't have listened to if I'd known where it came from," said Kate. "I could hear Reed on the television, and much later, Alexis came in and apparently found you frozen in place. She said, when I pressed, that the recording came from a device that had been in the loft since two days after I left."

Rick and Alexis exchanged a look and said simultaneously, "Lucy."

"Who's Lucy?"

"A home automation system," said Rick. "You know, you can remotely run appliances, heating and cooling, security systems. The Internet of Things."

"Chances are that's the device Rita recorded you on," said Alexis. "Of the gadgets you bought that week, it's the only one that could effectively hide a listening device."

Kate made a mental note to ask about the other "gadgets" he'd acquired recently. Then she shook herself back to the current conversation and asked, "Can we talk about Reed's speech, please? You don't remember anything, Rick?"

"I was walking over to find the remote - I wasn't planning to watch Reed's speech. I never met the man," he explained, "but after finding out what he did, I couldn't stand the sight or sound of him. I had just spotted the remote when - well, I don't know. I don't recall anything after that until Alexis arrived to snap me out of it."

"You don't recall anything Reed said?" asked Kate.

"It was just opening remarks," said Rick. "His career, his gratitude, where he came from. I don't remember the specific words…"

"Here it is," said Alexis, who had brought her laptop. She turned the screen to face them and pressed the PLAY button. "I found this on the University of Nebraska site this morning; it's a video of the speech."

Kate found herself disliking the sight of Reed more than ever. What on earth was it about him that had tripped up Rick? She turned to her husband just in time to see his expression go from a frown to a complete blank -

\- just as Reed on the screen said, "...right here in Omaha…"

"Rick!" She reached over to hit PAUSE on the recording and grabbed Rick's hand. Alexis put down the laptop and grabbed his other hand.

"This is exactly what he looked like, yesterday," she said anxiously.

"How did you get him out of it?" asked Kate. Rick didn't seem to hear them; he just kept staring at the paused screen, his hands limp in theirs.

"Dad," said Alexis. "Dad, wake up. Come back. It's me, Alexis, and Kate."

She shook her dad's shoulder and his shoulders slumped, his eyes closing for a minute. Then he opened them and straightened, suddenly animated.

"Paper - write down - "

Kate scrambled to hand him pen and paper and he immediately started scribbling. Alexis grimaced.

"That's his genius handwriting," she said ruefully. "When he gets a sudden flash of inspiration and he has to write it down before it evaporates. It's worse than code - he's the only one who can read it."

"Omaha," he said, his face pale. "Reed is the third partner. Bracken, Simmons, and Reed."

"Michael Reed? But I thought LokSat was a CIA analyst," said Kate.

"He was, once upon a time," said Rick. "And he still has a man inside who acts on his orders. I don't know who that is, but my money's on Jenkins."

Kate felt increasingly more convinced that now was the time to break protocol.

"Did you ever tell Alexis about Valkyrie?" she asked Rick, who shook his head. Kate went on, "The short version, Alexis, is that when Reed was a general, stationed in Afghanistan, he took decisions that he knew were unethical - downright immoral - and was never investigated, primarily because the result of those decisions was to the advantage of our forces."

It was the barest of sketches of that shocking discovery, and still Alexis went pale.

"You're kidding. One of our military commanders? You found this out when you were in D.C.?"

Kate nodded. "Your dad ended up in the hospital, not because of some accidental exposure as you were told, but due to a toxin that killed someone else. Rick was collateral damage. The person who planted it wanted revenge for Reed's actions."

"You caught the guy, though," Rick added, going for the positive.

"I have wondered, over the last couple of years, whether Reed ever has a qualm over what he did in Afghanistan," said Kate. "Or over the fact that our team were the ones who figured it out. Even if he's never brought to justice for it."

"He'd say, all's fair in war," Rick said. "War is hell. What the American public doesn't know won't hurt them. Blah blah blah."

Wanting to move to something productive, Kate peered at Castle's notes. "You weren't kidding about his handwriting, Alexis. What does all this say?"

Alexis sat back and folded her arms. "Yeah, Dad, what's it say?"

Castle rolled his eyes. "I'm glad there are some things you still can't do," he said to her. "The gist is that I have met Reed, but not while I was in D.C. While I was in - " He scrunched his eyes shut, thinking hard. " - In Montreal. That summer. He was there, along with Jenkins, and Jeff Powers. No, wait. I met Reed in Montreal, and then Jenkins took me somewhere else, where Powers was."

"Do you remember if this was before or after Thailand?" Kate asked.

"Don't remember," said Castle, his eyes still closed as if trying to imagine. "Don't remember where I met up with Reed… wait. There was a big room, with computers and phones. Lots of bright lighting. Not like in D.C. - not like that time with Sophia."

That name sent a shiver up Kate's spine, but she said nothing. Sophia Turner, late of the CIA, had turned out to be an expatriate Soviet spy. Castle went on thinking out loud.

"The warehouse," he said. "The place where I made those videos. I think it was a room in that building. There was a smaller room, off to the side, with cots and a table, and a bathroom. Like an office."

"Do you think that's where you were staying?" asked Alexis.

"Might have been," said her father. "I wasn't under guard or anything, so I must have been there of my own free will. Sorry, Kate."

She shook her head; it didn't matter now. "Do you remember anyone else besides Jenkins and Reed?"

Castle opened his eyes. "Maybe," he said, and Kate thought he sounded - evasive?

"Maybe, who?" she asked.

"I *might* have run into - Vikram," he said reluctantly.

The other two stared at him, astonished. He went on, "He said he was with the AG's office. What if he was really working for LokSat, or the CIA, or both?"

"His records - I did a background check on him," said Kate.

Alexis shook her head. "He's a tech genius. You said it yourself, Dad. He could doctor his records enough to make him look like exactly who we think he is."

There was a long pause while they all digested this idea. Then Rick spoke up.

"So Alison Hyde might have been in the right when she said he'd misrepresented himself. She might have been killed before she could elaborate on her findings."

"Vikram was the one who hacked the hit squad's phone and pointed us at Hyde," said Kate. "Thus throwing our attention at her and not himself."

"But why?" Alexis asked. "Why not just - sorry, Dad - kill Kate at first sight and have done with it? What's his motive for collaborating with her?"

"What's in this for Vikram?" Castle asked Kate. "Besides tracking down the big bad."

Kate thought quickly. What exactly had she and Vikram uncovered in these months since his arrival in New York?

She said slowly, "Since Vikram and I have been searching for LokSat, we've found proof that the heroin trade run by Simmons is still at work – someone is shipping product into the U.S. via at least one cruise line and one waste management company. Anyone trying to investigate that route is killed, and LokSat doesn't seem to mind sacrificing its minions. Also, we found evidence that links the waste company to Caleb Brown, public defender for the city of New York."

"You gotta be kidding me," said Castle, astonished.

"He drew up the articles of incorporation for the company that owns the warehouse where the waste company driver allegedly unloads the heroin."

"Allegedly?" asked Alexis.

"Yeah, when we finally got to it, it was empty." Kate paused, thinking. "Now that I think about it, we've had more dead ends than live leads."

"Like the guy who supposedly called from Sky Rink?" Castle suggested. "Wild goose, anyone?"

"And Vikram has been fairly constant in his insistence that you and I stay far away from each other."

"I know. He came here the other day."

"What!" It was Kate's turn for astonishment. Castle gave her the rundown on Vikram's brief visit, along with finding the bug and disposing of it.

"Kind of annoying that Lucy herself is taking surveillance - even as she exposes Vikram's," he finished up. "I assume he was here solely for the purpose of planting the bug, since nothing he said was relevant to LokSat, or to our relationship."

"You said he was trying to warn you away from Kate," said Alexis.

"Vikram doesn't know me very well, personally," said Castle. "But he should have deduced by now that I don't respond to direct demands."

"Like 'stay in the car'," Kate murmured, giving him a side glance.

"How does this loop back to Reed, though?" Alexis asked, pulling the conversation back to the point. "And why now? And how does it benefit Vikram?"

"While I was lurking around the AG facility, I heard a recording of the mission Reed ordered that killed at least one American operative," said Castle. "It was Reed, a pilot, and Bronson on the comms. The pilot's call name was Eagle, Reed was Alpha One, and Bronson was…"

"Omaha," said Kate quietly, watching Castle, but he showed no sign of lapsing into a catatonic state. "And it was Reed who said it, several times."

"So maybe like the sight of Golovkin on the TV triggered my dreams, that specific voice saying that particular word might have triggered something else," said Castle. He rubbed at his face with one hand, staring at the paper he'd scribbled on. "What am I supposed to do about this?"

Kate, who had been staring at the paper from another angle, was struck by one of the few words she could actually read.

"Maybe you should visit Boston," she said, pointing at the word.


	23. Chapter 23

"Boston," Castle muttered, reading the word among his scribblings. "I don't remember anything about Boston. Not in connection with that summer."

"You remember Montreal," Alexis pointed out. "That's a start."

"We've been to Montreal," Castle countered. "That warehouse was cleaned out. None of it looked at all familiar, even the room where we decided the videos had been made."

"But you remember a room, you think nearby, where you were kept - a bed, a bathroom, a desk," said Kate. "Did it resemble the room in the videos at all?"

"Yeah," said Castle, closing his eyes again to recall. "Same kind of walls, floor, exposed plumbing. Lots of empty space around us - echoes of conversation - "

His eyes snapped open and he got up, pacing quickly to the opposite wall and back to stand over them. "Conversation. Voices. Phone conversations. Jenkins. Jenkins was talking to someone about Thailand - he mentioned Bilal, and Powers. Then another man's voice, a one-sided conversation, maybe on the phone or a radio - Talking about Jenkins, and then I heard the voice say that they couldn't do what they liked with 'the subject'. Said that - "

His gaze fell, appalled, on Kate's face.

"He said that 'He would know. He always knows. He's like a demon.' And at some point he said, 'He _says_ it's his son, but that could be yet another lie.'"

Kate said slowly, "So you think that someone on Jenkins' team had a conversation concerning you - the 'subject' - and Jackson Hunt?"

Castle nodded. "There were no names, but then they'd be careful about that. Listen, about Rita - you saw her yesterday? And she has access to Lucy's audio files?"

"Yes," said Kate. "What are you thinking? That she can tell you something about Hunt?"

"Like what he knows about that summer," said Castle. "I think it's time to drop a few hints to my elusive step-mother."

"Lucy, I'm home," Castle called out as he came through the door.

"Hey, Ricky," Lucy chirped. "Who's that with you? I hear more than one pair of footsteps…"

Castle exchanged a look with Alexis, who said, "It's just me, Lucy."

Kate had slipped inside and gone immediately into the bedroom, then into Castle's office where she could hear what was going on. Alexis dropped her bag on the sofa and went to the fridge.

"Want something, Dad?"

"No, I'm good." Castle sat at the counter next to Lucy's position. "I should probably write, but what I really want is a nap."

"Italian food in the middle of the day will do that to you," Alexis said dryly. "Still stuck on that scene with the wife? Why does the spy need a wife, anyway?"

"It's the only way I could figure out how to provide information about his goings-on to Rook and Nikki," Castle yawned. "She's too flat, though. Two-dimensional. I don't want her to be blatantly deus ex persona, but honestly I don't have anything else for her to do."

"Tell me again why Nikki and Rook need to get information about Spy Guy," said Alexis, sitting down with a glass of orange juice.

"He's trying to make up for something that happened to Rook, back when Rook was a cub reporter - "

"Does anyone call them cub reporters any more?"

"I do. Anyway, he was one of Rook's sources, and the two of them got into some serious trouble, and the spy escaped and came back for Rook, but by then Rook was being interrogated by the bad guy."

"And he got Rook out, but Rook held a grudge against him for not coming back sooner."

"Right, so Mr. Spy gets Mrs. Spy to spy on Rook now, because he knows Rook wouldn't accept help from him."

"Which he needs why?"

"Nikki's dealing with the same bad guy now," said Castle. "Rook's trying to decide whether to tell her about his experience. If the spy were to back up his story, Nikki might be more likely to believe him - to be more cautious."

Kate closed her eyes in regret. She knew this had no relation to the actual plot of his next novel, that he was making it up as he spoke, but still, it bore all too close a resemblance to her actual situation. She told herself that they were working together now, to make sure the story ended well.

"And you think that Mrs. Spy will convince Mr. Spy to step in?" said Alexis. "That's asking a lot, isn't it?"

"It is," Castle admitted. "Which is why I think either Mr. or Mrs. Spy needs to take on way more importance than a past partner in crisis. Rook was betrayed, or so he thinks, so something would have to show him he was wrong about the spy's actions back then."

"Just don't make him a long-lost brother, or father, or something," said Alexis. "I hate when a writer does that. It's like Sybok in _Star Trek V_ , suddenly popping up with an implausible backstory."

"Cheap trick," her dad agreed. "Well, I'm off to mull and scribble. Remind me later, I need to find someone to get the curtains cleaned. That sunshine is looking a little grubby."

Kate was lurking in Castle's armchair when he ambled into the office and took his seat behind the desk. He raised his eyebrows at her and she pantomimed applause, then tapped her watch as if to say, give it time.

Less than an hour later, Kate had adjourned to the bedroom, lying on the bed staring at the ceiling and reviewing their situation, and when her phone vibrated she leaped to her feet and went swiftly into the bathroom, closing the door as quietly as possible.

"Hello?"

"What did you tell Castle?" said Rita on the other end.

 _Gotcha_ , thought Kate. "About what? Why are you calling me?"

"Remember that recording I played for you? Well, I was going through the live feed for the device in his loft, and he started talking about a plot that sounds suspiciously familiar."

"I don't know anything about a plot. He doesn't share that sort of thing with me any more."

"And then he told Alexis he had to find someone to get his curtains cleaned."

"Coincidence," said Kate.

"So you haven't talked to him about me, or the device, or some plot involving a spy and his wife."

"No! Wow, is that for his next novel?" Kate tried very, very hard not to sound too sarcastic. "Definitely going to order a copy of that."

"Not funny, Kate."

"Not meant to be," she shot back. "If you think Castle's onto something connected to you, or Hunt, or LokSat, that's up to you to figure out. It's nothing to do with me. Though I would like to point out that if he is, then it doesn't make sense any more for us to be apart. He's going to investigate LokSat anyway. In which case, he and I are better off as a team, watching each other's backs."

She ended the call, not wanting to hear anything more from Rita, and sat fuming on the stool for several minutes. Eventually a faint tap came at the door and Castle spoke in a low voice.

"Permission to come aboard?"

Kate smiled and opened the door, letting him in. She was just about to close the door when he grabbed her hand and led her out, a finger to his lips demanding silence. She followed him across the bedroom and into the walk-in closet.

When they reached the deepest, darkest depths of the closet, where the only light was a tiny night-light bulb on a motion sensor, he stopped and pulled her into his arms.

"Thought this might be more comfortable for a debrief," he said. "Plus, the sound is more muffled back here than in the bathroom."

"Sounds like you've done this before," said Kate.

Castle shrugged. "Hide and seek with Alexis, laser tag, Christmas presents. It's very handy. Now, tell me what Rita had to say."

Kate repeated the conversation, and even in the dim light she could see him smirk.

"Guess I have some acting chops after all," he said. "Well, that confirms that Rita's listening. And through guilt by association, Jackson Hunt must be listening as well."

"What are you hoping to accomplish?"

"I want to flush out Hunt," said Castle. "If he had so much as a hint of involvement in my lost time, I want to know about it. Even if it had nothing to do with LokSat."

The sound of Kate's phone buzzing made them both freeze. She fumbled in her pocket and drew it out.

"Not my regular cell," she murmured. "It's the burner. No one but you, Ryan, and Espo have that number - and this is coming from an unknown number."

She answered the call cautiously. "Hello?"

"Give Richard the phone."

"I'm sorry, who is this?"

The man on the other end snorted. "Good question. Right now I'm a guy who wants to talk to Richard."

Kate rolled her eyes and handed the phone to Castle, who put it on speaker. "Hello?"

"Meet me at the park in half an hour. Same place as last time."

"Why should I?" The last time he'd met Jackson Hunt anywhere, it had been the scene of a crime in the New York Public Library. Murder - committed by Hunt, in cold blood.

"Suit yourself," said the man and cut the call.

"Short, but not sweet," Castle grimaced. "You coming, Beckett?"

"I think not," said his wife. "Don't want to spook the spook."

"I'm not sure he's spook-able," Castle muttered.


	24. Chapter 24

Kate spent that evening and the next morning trying not to anticipate a call from Castle about his meetup with Jackson Hunt. She knew he wouldn't be able to tell her much over the phone, not at the precinct, anyway, but she had work to do and no good reason to leave.

She went to lunch with Ryan and Esposito, who filled her in on the latest cop gossip.

"Anything new on the Vikram front?" asked Esposito. "Haven't seen him around much since that wild goose chase."

"I've been keeping Tech busy," said Ryan. "The idle brain's the devil's playground, my Gran used to say. I almost want to drop some false intel in your office, just to watch him take the bait."

"Don't be mean," said Kate, but she was smiling. "We might need him."

"The point is, _you_ need him," said Esposito. "We're wondering what for."

"Can't tell you," Kate told him. She did wonder, though, how Vikram planned to pursue whatever his agenda was, when she'd so easily uncovered his subterfuge on the listening devices. "D'you guys know what he gets up to, outside of business hours?"

Esposito shrugged. "We've invited him for a beer once or twice. He always says thanks but no thanks. Maybe he doesn't drink."

"Maybe he doesn't want to go to a cop bar," Kate pointed out.

"Nah, it's the Old Haunt," said Ryan. "Just 'cause we've started frequenting the place doesn't make it a cop bar."

"Did you tell him you were going to the Old Haunt?" asked Kate.

"Sure," said Espo. He and Ryan exchanged a look. "You don't think that has anything to do with - the thing you won't tell us about?"

"Right now I'm suspicious of nearly every move he makes," Kate admitted. "Try suggesting another place, next time. Or let him pick."

She was starting to think that it wasn't just herself whom Vikram wanted to keep away from Castle. Possibly he didn't want to encounter her husband, either - but then why would he try to plant a bug in the loft?

"Earth to Captain Beckett," said Esposito, and Kate realized they'd gone on talking while she was musing. "Gotta get back. Thanks for lunch."

Kate reached for the tab, but another hand forestalled her. She looked up to see Castle standing next to their table, pulling out his wallet and grinning.

"Hello, all," he said. "It's on me, this time. Good to see you, guys," he added to Espo and Ryan, who gave him a suspicious look, glanced at Kate, and then turned as one and left the place. Castle slid into the chair opposite Kate.

"Thought you might want a debrief," he said. "Lucky I found you here."

"You mean, after you stopped in at every dive and deli in a five-block radius of the precinct?" Kate teased. "Aren't you afraid someone might be following you? Or lurking nearby with a parabolic mic?"

"Nope," said Castle cheerfully. He appeased the waiter by ordering a cheeseburger, and when the man was gone he leaned over and handed Kate some folded sheets of paper. She opened them and saw two pages covered with his barely-acceptable handwriting on them.

"This way, if anyone's listening, they won't hear anything to their advantage," said Castle smugly. "I wrote it all down right after I got home yesterday."

"Thanks for making it legible," she said. "Barely."

While he ate his lunch, Kate read through his account, which was written like a script:

SCENE: _Central Park, an undisclosed location._

CHARACTERS: _R. Castle and unknown male contact, designated J.H._

 _RC sits on a park bench behind his contact, so that they're nearly back to back. JH is pretending to read a newspaper; RC pretends to play with his phone._

JH: What's going on with you and Beckett?

RC: I'm flattered you're taking an interest in my marital situation.

JH: Don't be. I'm less concerned about your marriage than I am about her safety.

RC: Her safety? What about mine?

JH: You're not the one in danger. You don't know anything. Beckett knows enough about - the case she's chasing to make her a prime candidate for capture, interrogation, possibly elimination.

RC: Case? What case? She just told me she needed some time to work something out.

JH: She's working something out, all right. Something that's going to get her killed. She's good, but she's not that good. Nobody is.

RC: You might be surprised.

JH: I hope so. You know those people who came after her, and you, last fall?

RC: The guy with the bag of spiders? How could I forget?

JH: They answered to someone very high up in our intelligence community. Not Alison Hyde - she was a patsy, intended to distract from the real boss.

RC: You don't say. _(N.b.: sarcastically. I hate playing dumb.)_

JH: Beckett is trying to find out the truth about whoever was behind those people. Whoever had her AG team killed, had Bracken killed, sent those hit squads after you.

RC: Do you know who the real boss is?

JH: If I did, I wouldn't tell you. You'd go straight to your wife, and she'd go straight after them, without backup, if I'm any judge of character. She's a lone wolf, Richard, you knew that when you met her. You've got to get her to drop her investigation before her thirst for justice kills her.

RC: She won't let me near her, for crying out loud. That phone call, earlier - she was stopping by for her mail. What am I supposed to do about it?

JH: Do whatever it takes to get her to move back into the loft. It's far more secure than the place she's staying now -

RC: Where's she staying?

JH: Not the point, right now. The two of you are loose cannons on your own - together you can watch each other's backs. And your two brains together are better than a half dozen of anyone else's.

RC: Well, our two brains are currently not speaking, so I don't know how -

JH: Listen, I don't care what you have to do. Lie to her, trick her, drag her by the hair -

RC: Sounds like something my buddy Slaughter would do.

JH: - just get her under some kind of protection, besides her wits and her gun. I know someone who can get a message to her, try to convince her it's in her best interest. And yours.

RC: May you succeed where I have failed. (stands) Is that all? Was there something else you were going to tell me? Maybe something about my trip to Montreal?

JH: What, last year? What does that have to do with anything?

RC: Not the trip where I found the bank and the video cards. The first trip, when I made the videos. When I first met the guy who calls himself Jenkins.

 _(JH turns and makes eye contact for the first time.)_

JH: I don't know anything about that.

RC: I see. Guess I'll have to ask Vikram, then.

JH: Vikram who?

RC: Never mind. Just someone I overheard talking about you a while back. Maybe he knows about whatever was going on at that warehouse.

JH: I thought that was a dead end.

RC: That's what you're supposed to think.

JH: What are you not telling me?

RC: Not much fun being on the other end, is it? Well, if you don't know anything about my abduction and return, or where I spent six weeks that summer - after the alleged "mission" to Thailand - then there's no point to continuing this conversation.

"Then he just looked at me, like there was more he wanted to say," said Castle, finishing up his cheeseburger, "and he said, 'Guess not,' and walked away."

"Not very enlightening," was Kate's comment. "I'm betting that the person he'll send to talk to me is Rita."

"I'd like to meet the lady."

Kate gave him an appraising look. "Hmm, well, I don't know where or when she'll pop up. And you cannot follow me around, Castle - you're as inconspicuous as a Great Dane. A really affectionate Great Dane."

"Call me Marmaduke," he retorted. "I can be stealthy when it's required."

"Not this time," she said. "And not because I'm hiding anything. I don't see the point, Castle."

Just then, her cell rang.

"Beckett."

"If he's so keen on meeting me," said Rita, on the other end, "tell him to meet me at his office at four, today. If he needs a cover, tell him I'm a marriage counselor making a house call on Kate's behalf."

The line went dead. Kate stared at her husband.

"That was - Rita," she told him, then relayed the rest of the message. Rick scanned the room, trying not to look obvious; Kate said, "She's already gone, I'm sure. Do you want me to come round at four?"

"If you don't mind, I think I'd rather be one on one with her," said Castle. "One determined ally at a time works for me. We can discuss things in committee later."


	25. Chapter 25

Four o'clock was far too slow in coming. Alexis came around two, after class, and sat doing homework in the reception area, but at quarter to four Castle shooed her out.

"You have a new client?" she asked brightly. "What kind of case is it? Espionage, embezzlement, buried treasure?"

"NOYB," said Castle shortly.

"Noyb? What's a - oh, ha ha. 'None of your business.'"

"So amscray."

Alexis, who had been fluent in Pig Latin since she could talk, rolled her eyes and gathered her belongings. After kissing Castle's cheek in farewell, she went out the door, nearly bumping into an older lady with short hair, rumpled casual clothing, and a twinkle in her eye.

"Let me get that for you, dear," she said, holding the door for Alexis.

Once Alexis had gone down the elevator, the lady bolted the door behind her and turned to Castle.

"She's beautiful," she beamed. "And smart, obviously. You must be very proud."

"The credit is all hers," said Castle, cautiously. "Rita, I presume?"

They shook hands and Castle motioned for her to sit, taking his own seat behind the desk.

"I don't know whether this room is bugged," he said, "or whether it matters to you if it is. Just a heads-up."

Rita shrugged. "It's getting so I can't remember who's bugging whom or where," she said.

"Let me refresh your memory," said Castle. "Vikram has devices in Beckett's office and cell phone - the one he knows about - and some kind of snooperware on her official laptop. There are so many people in and out of this office that there might be something hidden here. Vikram tried to bug my loft but I disposed of it. However, there's another device in the loft, planted not by Vikram but, most likely, by you or by Jackson Hunt."

"Very thorough," said Rita. "Though not comprehensive. What about your inner sanctum?"

"I don't know what you mean," said Castle with his very best poker face. "At any rate, to what do I owe this office call?"

"I heard you wanted to meet me," said Rita. "Here I am. Satisfied?"

"Not by a long shot. Are you actually married to Jackson Hunt?"

"By the laws of the United States, yes."

"Who are you working for?"

"At the moment? You, Richard. I'm acting in the best interests of you and Kate Beckett."

"What about Vikram?"

"What about him?"

"Beckett isn't the only one you saved from those assassins. Are you on his side as well?"

"Let's just say that I'm only concerned with his safety insofar as it affects yours, or Kate's. He's a cog in a machine, and I don't want the machine to break down. Not when it could lead me to the truth."

"Metaphor," Castle muttered. "So easy to create, so hard to decipher sometimes. Why won't Hunt tell me anything about that summer?"

"There are those who went to some trouble to ensure your safety during that time," Rita shot back. "One wrong word from you, in the wrong place, and their lives would be in even more danger than usual."

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm very good at keeping a secret," said Castle.

"Like the one you kept from Kate, back before you identified Bracken?" Rita asked. "You're right, that was a difficult task. You did very well there - because it protected her, and she was the most precious thing in your world, after your own family."

"If it meant I could protect her now, I'd do the same thing," he protested, then realized his misstep.

Rita shook her head. "See? You lie to protect her - she lies to protect you. You were saved the knowledge of your lie, right up until your 'memories' started re-emerging. And now you're plagued by puzzle pieces that you're trying to assemble without a picture to go by."

"And if I do remember the picture? It would put me on the same footing as Beckett. We could connect the pieces of my puzzle to hers."

"Do you really think they're connected?"

"I need to know, if they are," said Castle. "And I don't trust you to judge that."

"How about your father? Do you trust him?"

"Another trick question. If you mean Jackson Hunt, I might have trusted him once, but now I'm going to need proof in order to trust anyone except myself and Beckett. For all I know, you two are the people who had me abducted and sent to Thailand."

"For the best of reasons," Rita started to say, but Castle raised his hand and interrupted.

"Right now, and for the foreseeable future, the only reasons I will accept are for the well-being of my family. Specifically, Alexis, Mother, and Kate. No more getting shanghaied for the good of my country, or even that of ten thousand innocent people."

"You may not have a choice, any more," said Rita. "That taxi accident?"

"Wasn't an accident. I know."

"You don't know who engineered it, either, or for what reason," she went on. "The poor idiot who planted the bomb messed it up, then made the mistake of calling his keepers in a panic. They then leaped into action and rammed your cab, simultaneously setting off the bomb in hopes that they could still kill you and make it look enough like an accident to pass muster."

Castle just stared at her.

"You couldn't have foreseen that, or prevented it," said Rita. "The plan was to catch you leaving the Old Haunt and plant the bomb on whatever vehicle you ended up in. Someone knew that you didn't drive your car that night. Fortunately - or not - you were drunk enough to escape the worst that could have happened. That, and the bomber's lousy aim."

Castle collected himself and asked, "And you know this how?"

"A delicate interrogation of said bomber," she snorted. "The one whose body was found in the park, who's now lying in the morgue. And no, before you ask, Jack had nothing to do with his death."

"What it sounds like you're saying," said Castle, counting off items on his fingers, "is that I should quit chasing information about my lost summer, convince Kate to move back in, and also convince her to stop looking into LokSat."

"Tall order, I know." Rita got to her feet. "If anyone can do it, you can."

"Why don't you and 'Jack' just kidnap us and keep us out of sight until you manage to figure out LokSat for yourself?" said Castle sarcastically. "That's your M.O., isn't it?"

"Not mine," said Rita. "Not his, either. Our part in your disappearance consisted strictly of cleanup. Damage control. How to concoct a plausible story without setting off public alarm."

"I suppose I should be grateful."

"You will be, if you ever manage to remember anything that happened," she said as she went out the door. "I hope, for your sake and hers, that you don't."


	26. Chapter 26

Castle went over to bolt the door behind Rita after she left, then paced slowly back into his office, leaving all the lights on. Poured himself a drink and sat at his desk for ten minutes; anyone watching would figure he was ruminating over his recent appointment. At last he finished off his drink and went over to close the blinds, left the lights still on, and pulled the hidden switch for the secret room.

Kate leaped to her feet the moment the door shut behind him.

"You heard all that," he confirmed.

She nodded. "She can't really think that's going to work, does she?" she asked incredulously. "Just ask and it'll be done? Does she know us?"

Castle actually smiled. "Not as well as she thinks. I'm pretty sure that she and Hunt don't think we could fool them about our situation, no matter who else is or isn't fooled."

"Kind of overconfident, isn't it? On Rita's part, I mean."

"Overconfident, or desperate," said Castle. "D'you suppose something's afoot?"

"She reminds me of Vikram," Kate said. "Always butting in and warning me against so much as talking to you. Like he thinks that'd make me drop the LokSat investigation at any moment."

She caught Castle's expression and went over to put her arms around him. "Which I would do," she assured him softly, "if I thought it would save you, or us. But it's too late for that, you know that, right?"

"Too late to give up the investigation," Castle agreed. "As long as you understand, Kate, that it wasn't you who kicked the hornet's nest. It was probably me."

"Don't," she said, kissing him. "Don't go there. We didn't create LokSat, and we didn't create this situation. Bracken was just a link in a chain, and I intend to be sure the chain is destroyed beyond hope of repair. All the way to the end."

"Together," he reminded her. "All the way. And it isn't too late for you to move back home, either, Kate. You thought separating would be safer for both of us, and it hasn't made a damn bit of difference. Come home."

She was still in his arms for a while, her head on his chest as they stood there.

"Okay," she said at last. "Okay. How should we do this?"

"I know a good way to start," he grinned, and bent his head to engulf her in a kiss.

* * *

"You moved back in."

Kate looked up from her work. Vikram stood before her desk with a dour expression.

"Do you need something?" she asked calmly.

"You moved back in with Castle. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Obviously," she said dryly, "or I wouldn't have done it. I do occasionally act on my bad ideas, but I make sure to hide the bodies in that case."

She gave him a pointed look. He sat heavily in the chair facing her.

"I thought you were worried about him finding out about - our investigation," he said, more quietly.

Kate folded her hands on top of her papers. "Is that why you planted a listening device in his loft?"

"What?" The kid really had no poker face to speak of. "Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, Vikram. Maybe you don't trust that either he or I know what we're doing. Maybe you think Castle's part of LokSat. Maybe you think he *is* LokSat."

"Of course I don't."

"Then why did you do it?"

She'd found it useful to jump directly to the question she needed answered, rather than deal with the tiresome exchange of "no I didn't"-"yes you did". Vikram, unprepared, fell into the trap.

"I thought it would be useful to know what he's been up to," he said defensively. "If he *is* investigating LokSat, he might alert someone on their side - inadvertently, of course! - and - and be unable to warn you before he was silenced."

"You've been reading too much John LeCarre," she said. "And Castle and I have been dealing with criminals, together and separately, long enough to know exactly what the risks are. To ourselves, to each other, to our working and personal relationships."

"But what if he - "

"That's enough," Kate interrupted. "You came to me, trusted me to help you, and that is the only thing that connects you and me. Castle is not your concern. If you have any faith at all in me, you should know that I can handle my own husband. You can back off that subject now."

She debated inwardly whether to reveal her knowledge of the other bugs in her office and phone, and decided to hold back on that for now.

"I don't want to have any more office visits like this," she said to Vikram. "Either you trust me, or you don't. And if you don't, you can stay in your tech room and leave LokSat to me. Dismissed."

* * *

She walked into the loft, feeling for the first time in weeks that she could enter without knocking. This was her home, now - again, still - more of a haven than any other place she'd lived in her adult life. She sighed and went over to put her bag down on the counter.

One thing was conspicuous by its absence. She went looking for its owner and found him in the laundry room upstairs.

"Hey," she said from the doorway. Castle looked up and grinned as he pulled an armload of sheets out of the dryer. It always amused her that people thought the rich were idle.

"Hey," he said. "I thought clean sheets were in order. These are your favorites, and why are you home before I got around to putting them on?"

"Got done early for a change. That's my story and I'm sticking to it."

He leaned in for a kiss and followed her back downstairs. As they made the bed together, Kate asked, "Where's Lucy?"

"Is that a new game? Like 'Where's Waldo?'"

"Seriously."

"Seriously," said Castle. "I switched it off, disabled it, removed the power source, stuffed it back in its box along with as much packing material as I could find. Took it downstairs to the storage area."

"Wow." Kate wasn't sure how to put the next question. "Did she - put up a fight?"

"A fight?" He straightened up, looking puzzled.

"She was programmed to have a personality," Kate said. "I just - wondered if she tried to argue with you."

"Nope." Castle finished up the pillowcases with a sigh of satisfaction. "And right now, resistance would have been futile. I am master of my fate and captain of my soul."

"I thought I was captain of your soul," she teased.

"You're captain of my heart," he assured her. "So what happened today?"

He always knew.

"Vikram," she said. "Came in yet again to frown on my moving back in. Copped to planting the bug - I didn't tell him how I knew about it - he said it was to protect you."

"From what?" snorted Rick.

"From any LokSat minions who come after you to get to me," said Kate. "He must think we're really naive."

"He's not the first to make that mistake. It's my boyish charm and carefree facade. Fools everyone."

Kate smiled. Here was yet another reason she loved this man.

"Not everyone," she said. "Listen, I want to float this by you before I do anything about it… I'd like you to see Dr. Burke."

She sat on the bed and Rick flopped down beside her, looking alarmed.

"Me? Is this the first step to getting me committed? Because I should warn you, it's been tried before."

"He helped you with the memories before," she explained. "Maybe he can help you make sense of this - thing that happened when you heard Reed."

"I don't know, Kate. His office - it's not as private as I'd like. Anyone could get in there and plant a recording device. Or something else designed to set me off." He grimaced. "Top two things I hate about this investigation - one, that my brain seems not to be my own, and two, far too many bugs."

"I second both of those," said Kate. "I have another idea as to how we can meet with him."


	27. Chapter 27

The following Sunday afternoon, Eduardo called up to announce that Carter Burke had arrived, and Kate went down to bring him up to the loft. Burke greeted her warmly, and once they were in the elevator he asked, "How are _you_ doing, Kate?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I can't tell you much about the circumstances - it's all highly classified. I don't know why Rick got dragged into it - we think maybe his subconscious can tell us."

"You said that the two of you had been having some personal problems."

Even with her heels, Kate had to look up to meet his eyes. The calmness and openness of his demeanor, as usual, reassured her.

"We've been working on healing," she said. "I think we're going to be okay."

"Good," said Burke.

They entered the loft and were greeted by Rick, who had coffee ready. Once served, they all sat in the living room, Dr. Burke taking the armchair, which struck Kate as a familiar pose.

"Shall we dispense with further small talk?" asked Burke. "I have all afternoon, but I sense that the two of you would like to get on with whatever you want to discuss."

"This is all incredibly confidential, you understand," said Rick. Burke nodded patiently, and Rick went on. "You know that Kate was on a task force with the Attorney General's office a few years ago. I ended up getting involved in a case - completely by accident - "

Kate couldn't suppress a snort. Burke caught her eye and smiled.

" - anyway, the case was concluded safely, and I hadn't given it much further thought. But last week, something in a television broadcast triggered something like a trance - and it happened again a few days ago, in Kate's presence."

"Kind of like the images Rick experienced when he was exploring what he thought were dreams, with you," Kate said.

"Ah," said Burke. "Were they not dreams, then?"

"Not at liberty to say," said Rick. "Sorry."

She knew he was sorry - he'd been hard pressed not to incorporate anything from his sketchy memories of Thailand into his books, let alone to discuss them with anyone but her.

"Very well," said Burke amiably. "Is there a way to reproduce your trance-like state? What is the trigger?"

Kate brought her laptop over - the disconnected one - and set it in front of Burke, then pressed the play button on the video and sat down next to Rick again.

When Reed's voice said the word, "Omaha," the expected reaction occurred. Rick's eyes went glassy, his mouth slack, and his hands fell uselessly to his sides. Kate reached over to pause the recording and the silence was oppressive.

Burke was looking at Rick, apparently not so much alarmed as curious.

"He was just like this, the other times?" he asked.

"Just like this," Kate echoed. "Alexis found him like this, the first time, and the second time she and I were both there when he was triggered."

"And he doesn't speak or move? How long does this state go on?"

"We don't know. The first time, we calculated that he'd been unresponsive for about half an hour, maybe forty-five minutes. The second time he snapped out of it within five minutes. Both times, it was human intervention that brought him around."

She looked at her husband, whose expression was completely blank, and said, "It doesn't seem to affect him when anyone else says 'Omaha'. Just when he hears Reed say it."

"Mr. Castle," said Burke, leaning forward in his seat. "Mr. Castle, can you hear me?"

Rick's expression and posture did not change.

"Play it again," Burke suggested to Kate, who ran the video back a bit and pressed play. This time, when Reed said 'Omaha', Rick's breathing picked up speed and his eyes closed.

"No," he whispered. "No. You can't. I have to go back. Been too long already. Where is that damn phone? Who the hell is that?" A long silence, then a short comment.

"My father."

His breathing and pulse slowed to a normal rate, but he remained still until Kate laid a hand on his arm and said, "Castle, wake up. It's Kate, I'm here and you're all right. Come back."

After a few minutes Rick opened his eyes, and they were full of pain. Kate offered him pen and paper, and he took them, laying them on his lap but making no move to write.

"Do you remember anything of the last ten minutes, Mr. Castle?" Dr. Burke asked quietly.

"A phone call," said Rick. "I heard a phone call, in another room, picked up the sound through the pipes."

"You mentioned a phone call before," said Kate with a glance at Burke. "You said - someone said they couldn't do what they wanted - that if anything happened to you, someone else would do something drastic."

"My father," said Rick. Turning to Burke, he said, "The short version of that story is that, unbeknownst to me for forty years, there's a CIA operative out there claiming to be my father, who seems to show up when my family is in danger, or when he needs a patsy for an extraction op."

"I presume that, before he appeared, you thought someone else was your father?" asked Burke.

Rick shook his head. "I was raised without one. Happily, I might add. But that's a story for a different time. All I know is that when I was gone, that summer, I was in company with people who knew of him and his connection to me, and they feared him."

"Do you think he had something to do with your disappearance? Or your recovery?"

"I don't know," said Rick, frustrated. "I wish I could trust him. A few days ago, he made a brief appearance to tell me about the accident I was in a couple of months ago. I didn't want to tell him anything about these - visions. I feel like the fewer people know about them, the better."

"Very well. Who does know about the visions?"

"You, Beckett, Alexis," said Castle. "Not Mother. She can keep her mouth shut when she wants to, but I'd rather not worry her."

"You worry her all the time," Kate reproved him.

"About stupid little things that resolve themselves quickly," Rick told her. "It's her favorite form of entertainment, scolding me for things that don't matter."

Burke regarded Castle for a minute, then asked, "Would you be willing to use the method we used before, when you were trying to sort out your dream images?"

"I'll try anything at this point," Castle replied fervently.


	28. Chapter 28

Carter Burke left as the sun was setting, with Kate going down to see him into a cab and then returning to the loft. Castle was sitting right where she'd left him, looking down at the pad of paper in his lap. Alexis had retired upstairs.

Castle had not spoken since saying goodbye to Burke, and even that seemed to take an effort on his part. The doctor hadn't seemed at all concerned about it, had shaken hands all round and reminded them that they could call on him for help at any time.

"Want more coffee?" asked Kate.

Castle nodded without looking up. Kate came back with coffee, sat down and took his hand, but he didn't respond.

"It's a lot to take in," she said quietly, and he finally looked at her.

"If true," he said. His expression was equal parts angry and relieved. "Last time, not everything I saw in my head was true, either."

"So, we have to figure out which part of your visions you can trust," said Kate. "Is there anything you feel sure about?"

She wanted to say, Anything that sounds plausible? He would have run off to Thailand last year on the strength of his dreams, and she didn't want him to act on anything she'd heard today.

Let alone anything in his head that he wasn't telling her.

Castle caught her expression and said, "I'm not going anywhere, Kate. I promise."

"I'm not worried about you going anywhere of your own volition," she said. "I'm worried about you getting taken away again."

"I feel sure of the conversations I overheard," he said, answering her earlier question. Glancing over his notes, he went on, "I was supposed to be debriefed. It was the only thing that kept me from calling you. Well, that and the fact that I couldn't find a telephone, and believe me, I searched. I was allowed free reign on one floor; the elevator didn't work, and there were guards stationed in the stairwells. For my protection, they said."

Most of this Kate had heard during Castle's "guided meditative state" with Burke. The detail Castle was now describing gave her a more vivid picture of what had gone on.

"I'd take a walk, or jog, around the floor every day," he said. "Just to stay limber. Also because I was bored stiff. I wasn't allowed to have any electronics except a cheap watch - I guess they'd confiscated my belongings, searching for tracking devices or small explosives, whatever."

Only Castle would think of those items, she thought with an inner smile. That also explained why his own watch, and all his other belongings, had been found at the decoy "campsite".

"I got to know the indoor landscape pretty well," he said. "There were pipes everywhere - probably some for water, some for electrical conduits, you know. A couple of them were dripping water, and it made me wonder whether there was anyone using the floors above. I could see out of some of the windows, those that weren't painted over, but honestly, I had no idea where I was.

"One day - this is the part I remember best - on a whim, I pressed an ear to one of the pipes, just to hear the water flowing, and I realized I could hear other sounds as well. Clanking, the sound of a car motor - people talking. Nothing distinct. Well, no one was watching me, as far as I knew, so I went round listening at all the pipes, and I found the places where I could hear more clearly."

He looked down at his notes. Kate could see the page Castle was staring at.

 _" - we rendezvoused with our two contacts. The Russian shot one of them, nothing fatal, enough to convince the subject that the Russian was an enemy._

 _"No, sir. At no time. Powers is under strict orders not to talk. You can always send him back to Thailand to keep an eye on the Russian. No, I know Khan is secure. I'd rather not say, sir - the less you know - Well, we're going to try it._

 _"I think he's expendable, sir. We can take our time; I think the best way to proceed is to set up some scenario to suggest he broke and ran away from his wedding."_

When those words had come out of Castle's mouth, even as he was writing them on the pad, Kate had had to breathe deeply and cover her mouth with her hand. The final proof that Castle had never left her willingly only strengthened her resolve to force Jenkins - and his unknown boss - to confess his sins and face her wrath.

The notes - and Castle's monotone - had gone on, sketching a plan whereby Jenkins intended to create a false trail, then take him someplace for "deep debriefing" - which Castle believed meant some kind of memory wipe.

"Like the 'flashy thing' in _Men In Black_ ," he said now with a grim smile.

"And that didn't always work," Kate reminded him.

"Well, this worked - temporarily," said Castle.

Kate shook her head. "It's nowhere near the whole story, though," she said. "Even when your memories came back, they were spotty and unreliable. It seems they did only enough to convince you it could be done."

"I'm wondering why they'd provide an explanation for the Thailand mission - however spotty - and nothing for the rest of the summer," Castle mused. "I think I do need to go to Boston."

* * *

Castle finished making travel arrangements and looked over at his daughter, who was frowning at her laptop.

"You're sure - " he began to ask.

Alexis flashed him an exasperated smile. "Yes, Dad. I'm sure. It's okay for me to leave my studies and your P.I. business and come gallivanting to Boston with my father, whose delusions might get him into even more trouble than before."

He made a face at her. "You make it sound like a babysitting job."

"Dad, for the first time a long time, you and I are tackling a project together," said Alexis. "One that holds meaning, and risk, for both of us. And for Kate. I'm not a babysitter - I'm a - "

"Plucky sidekick," said Castle.

Kate refrained from pointing out what she'd once said about plucky sidekicks and sipped her coffee. They were in the panic room at the P.I. office; Castle and Alexis were making travel plans.

"You're not just going to go wander around Boston hoping for inspiration to strike, are you?" she asked.

"That's my cover story," said Castle with a smile. "Ask Alexis."

"He does it once in a while, when he needs a change of scenery," said Alexis. "Not just a different coffee shop. Once it was Chicago, once Vancouver, a couple of times Paris. Although I think there was something else about Paris, one time, that 'inspired' him."

"I have no idea what you mean," Castle said airily, suddenly intent on his notes and maps.

Kate and Alexis grinned at each other. The better Kate knew Alexis, the more she appreciated the young lady's familiarity with her father's idiosyncrasies, particularly his writing habits. It wasn't difficult, living with him, thought Kate, but it was unlike any living situation she'd ever known. Strange hours, the ability to afford expensive frivolity (and equally generous charity), and yet he never demanded she adapt to his lifestyle, but deferred to her preferences in many ways.

She realized that Castle was gazing at her in a way that reminded her of days spent with him sitting next to her desk at the precinct, a way that she had thought at the time meant trouble. She smiled.

"So, paper maps?" she said.

"Yeah, I need to scribble," he said, glancing down at his work. "Plus, I don't want anyone getting information off my phone or my laptop as to what I'm after."

"Don't you dare turn off your GPS, though," Kate told him. "Even if you're separated from your phone, it'll be a lead."

"At the rate he loses phones, though, it'll probably end up in the harbor." Alexis shot her dad a look.

"Lost? How about stolen? Or crushed? Or stuck with a ninja throwing star?" Castle looked genuinely affronted.

"We should put a chip in his neck, like they do cats and dogs," said Alexis to Kate. "So we can track him when he's unconscious or amnesiac."

"Do those work if he's in another space-time continuum?" asked Kate.

Castle kept his eyes on his calculations and muttered, "Just call me Lassie."


	29. Chapter 29

Two days into their trip, Alexis called Kate over VoIP.

"Any news?" asked Kate, after checking up on everyone's health and the sights of Boston.

"As a matter of fact," said Alexis, "we found out where the dinghy came into play."

"Seriously?!"

"Seriously. Dad went out wandering, down by the harbor, last night - "

"Alone?" Kate sighed; she knew the answer.

Alexis sighed as well. "I know, right? Anyway, he got mugged. He's okay," she hastened to add. "They were amateurs. I probably could have fought them off with one hand. The muggers were a couple of teenagers from Rockport, down for the weekend. They have friends at UMass."

"They sound awfully chatty for muggers."

"Well, you know Dad. He had a hunch they knew the territory, so he gave them all the cash in his wallet, talked them out of taking his credit cards, dropped a few names."

"Stephen King? James Patterson?"

"Max Brooks," said Alexis.*

"He knows his audience," said Kate.

"To make a long story short, these guys 'borrowed' a boat from a campsite in Gloucester some time in August of 2014, on a bet that they couldn't navigate from there to Boston with it. A blue dinghy with custom fishing racks."

"Shut the front door."

"Yep. They made it to Boston, collected on the bet, partied all weekend with their college buds. Went to take the boat home next day, but they were so hung over that they never made it out of the harbor. They took the boat back to where they moored it and hitchhiked home."

"So the boat was there for the taking," said Kate. "Any idea how long?"

"No idea. I'm trying to find any video surveillance, now that I know approximately where it was, but it's been a long time."

"Good work," said Kate. "One more piece of the puzzle. If Castle was in Boston, he might have taken the boat out himself, but why?"

"Trying to get home, himself," Alexis said. "That's his theory. He's out walking the docks right now - he thinks that seeing where he found the boat might jog his memory. I'll tell him to call you when he gets back - he spaced out and left his phone here."

* * *

Rick called her later that day.

"Hey, babe," said Kate. "How are you doing? Digging up clues?"

"Yes and no," said Rick. He sounded worn out. "I think I know where I was in Boston, and who brought me here. But I can't figure out why."

"You know my methods, Watson - well, the NYPD method. Doesn't matter why, if you can prove means, method, and opportunity."

"It matters to me. The story, remember?"

Kate smiled even though he couldn't see her. "What's the story thus far, then?"

"Alexis found one of those 'black out' sites, a building whose ownership can't be traced, so we can't tell whether it's a government facility or Bad Guy HQ. Might be both. It's half a mile from the harbor, has an underground garage and blacked-out windows on one entire side of the building. About six stories high."

"You think that's where you were?"

"I think I was asleep - or drugged - on the way, and I woke up as we were getting out of the car. Which also had blacked-out windows, by the way. There was someone helping me - I was kind of woozy, like when I was on those painkillers for the accident, and I couldn't see straight."

"This sounds awfully vivid," said Kate uncertainly.

"I know what you're thinking," said Castle. "That this might be one of those conveniently implanted memories. But you know, none of the false memories had to do with a *place* - only with people. Phil, Bilal Khan. The places were all places I'd actually been before."

"Okay," she said. "I'll allow it. What else do you remember about the building?"

"Not much. Just that the room where they kept me here was cleaner. And there was a lock on the door - on the outside. In Montreal I had a whole floor to myself and guards on the stairwells, at least on those that weren't barricaded."

"Do you remember anyone you met in Boston?"

"I think it might have been Jeff Powers, helping me out of the car," said Castle slowly. "Other than that, the faces are all a blur. Listen, I'm going to try our Reed-Omaha trick, later, once Alexis gets back. See if anything new surfaces."

"Gets back? Where'd she go?"

Kate was still, on occasion, struck by alarm that Castle could be left on his own, to get into untold kinds of trouble. She'd felt those pangs since the day they'd met, first out of self-righteous annoyance at being saddled with him, then eventually out of actual concern, and most recently out of fear that she might lose him just as they were coming back together. She shook herself and listened to him chuckling.

"Shopping. It's our cover, she says. And I do believe she's cultivating it to the full extent of her credit card."

"Yet another reason your daughter is awesome. I gotta go, love."

"Check in later? After dinner?"

"Maybe for a nightcap," said Kate.

When she called, late that night, there was no answer on his cell, nor on Alexis'; the tracking app on her phone showed their phones turned off, and the hotel staff had no information as to their whereabouts, even when she rattled off her badge number and rank.

She hung up and bit her fingernails for a minute, then decided that desperate times called for desperate measures, and called a number she'd only used once before.

"Hello...I need to get my curtains cleaned."

* * *

Kate managed to get through the next day by force of will alone. She left her burner phone and secret laptop locked in her desk and attacked both paperwork and case work with laser focus; it had the unforeseen by-product of her precinct giving her a wide berth out of self-preservation.

When she slapped the last folder down on Ryan's desk, he looked up at her and asked, "Everything okay, boss?"

She was about to reply with a terse affirmative when she caught his expression, one of caution but also of concern. Worry, even. She sighed.

"Everything here is fine," she told him. "Home, not so much. Thanks for asking."

"Anything we can do?" That was Esposito, over her shoulder. She turned and gave him a half-hearted smile.

"Believe me, I'll let you know when there is," she said.

When she got back to her office and started collecting her things to go home, she noticed the message light blinking on her office phone and picked it up to retrieve her voicemail.

It was Castle, or rather, Castle's faux Bogart imitation.

"Hey schweetheart, it's me, your private dick. I got the scoop on that lead you called about, but you'll have to pay up to get it. Come to the office after hours - Effie'll let you in. I'll be waiting."

If Castle was Sam Spade, that would make Alexis his "Effie", thought Kate as she headed for her car.

Richard Castle Investigations was brightly lit when she got there, and Alexis must have been watching for her.

"It's just me and Dad," she whispered, letting Kate in and locking the door. They proceeded to join Castle in the back room; he looked pale and distracted, but no more than he usually was when on a case.

"Hey," he said from his seat on the couch. Kate leaned over to kiss his cheek, then sat down in a chair across from him.

"Hey yourself. I'm glad you're home safe - both of you."

"Thanks to my peripatetic family," he said. There was an empty bowl in front of him and a couple of Chinese food containers on the coffee table, so he must have had something to eat.

"What happened?"

"He was - sleepwalking, or something like it," said Alexis. "We were in the hotel room, and I played the 'Omaha' recording, and he went into a trance, like you saw before. I turned my back for one second - and he was walking out the door."

Castle had the grace to look sheepish. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said to Alexis. "Next time I'll handcuff myself to something heavy."

"I ran after him," said Alexis, "without my phone or any other belongings. He got in the elevator I ran like hell down the stairs. When I got outside he only had about a block's head start."

"Do you remember any of this?" Kate asked Castle, who shook his head.

Alexis resumed her narrative. "He took off down the sidewalk - it was dark by then - toward the building I'd suggested might be a secret site. I was afraid he was going to walk right in and tip his hand, so I got hold of his arm and - well, I begged him to come back. I couldn't stop him altogether, but he turned and went another direction - we ended up at the harbor, where he just sat down on a bench and muttered to himself."

"Did you - " Before Kate even finished her sentence, Alexis produced a scrap of paper on which she'd scribbled several words.

"Just this. That's all I could make out."

The words BOSTON, POWERS, and JENKINS were fairly clear, then a ten-digit number that Kate guessed was a phone number, and something that looked like RITA/HUNT?

"After about half an hour, I saw a cop walking along the quay," said Alexis, "but I didn't know who to trust. I was about to flag him down when Rita appeared on the scene."

"She just sat down next to me," Castle put in, "like she belonged to our party, and she said to Alexis, 'We should be getting back.' I think I was just coming out of my brain freeze by then."

"Rita and I linked arms with him, and she walked us back to the hotel, but she wouldn't stay," said Alexis. "As soon as we got back to the room, Dad went to lie down on the sofa and Rita just stood in the doorway, and when I turned to thank her she was gone and the door was shut."

Alexis allowed herself a momentary glare at her father and added, "I'm going to get the vet to put that chip in your neck, Dad."

"Well, that explains why I couldn't get you on the phone," said Kate. "I'm the one who called Rita. I had a feeling you might have run into some trouble. Did she say anything?"

"Just what Dad said - and when she left, she said now would be a good time to get the heck out of Dodge."

"Oldies but goodies," Castle sighed. "So apart from the dinghy, I don't think Boston gave us any leads."

"What about that phone number?" Kate asked. "Have you tried it?"

"Wanted your advice on it," said Castle. "I ran it through the public lookup sites, didn't find anything. It's a DC number."

Kate looked down at the scrap of paper in her hand. "Does it look familiar to you at all?"

"Not a bit." Castle rubbed his face with his hands, looking suddenly deflated.

"Come on, let's go home," said Kate, standing up, but he shook his head.

"What if I have another lapse?" he said. "I might wander off, right into the hands of the enemy. Whoever the hell that is. I wish I could figure this out."

"You're not going to figure it out here, Dad," said Alexis, gently but firmly. "You need to get some rest, sleep in your own bed. That's what you always used to say to me when I stayed up late worrying."

She collected her jacket and a small case and went to check if the coast was clear, and Kate took the opportunity to murmur to Castle, "Besides, I'll be happy to handcuff you to something heavy. Like, the bed."

"Promises, promises," said Castle with a faint smile.

* * *

*Wrote _The Zombie Survival Guide_ and _World War Z_.


	30. Chapter 30

When Kate woke the next morning, it was to a Castle-less bed, the sound of muttering from his office, and the smell of fresh coffee. She collected the coffee and went to investigate the cause of the muttering, which of course was Castle "nose-down on a scent" as he sometimes put it.

"Look at this," he said without looking up, as she entered the room. He was writing something on a yellow pad, fortunately in writing Kate could read as she came round to look over his shoulder.

It was an outline, with fragmented phrases and scratched out words.

 _2012-13, Afghanistan_

 _Valkyrie - Farah Usman_

 _Status: Killed in air strike, on orders of Gen. Reed_

 _Who knew/learned about the op and Usman's death: Reed, Castle, Beckett (alive), Parker (check status); Vilante, Hendricks, McCord, Richmond (dead)_

 _2014_

 _Castle - alive_

 _Beckett - alive_

 _Simmons - connected to heroin trade AND Bracken money laundering, killed (by LokSat?)_

 _Bracken - arrested_

 _Reed - publicly untouched and unsuspected_

 _early 2015 - Powers killed by Golovkin, G killed by Jenkins_

 _2015_

 _Vikram Singh - forwards redacted memo to AG team_

 _Vilante, Hendricks, McCord, Richmond killed_

 _Vikram flees to NY & provides intel to Beckett_

 _Beckett uses the word "LokSat" to Bracken (tips her hand?)_

 _Bracken - killed in prison_

 _Alison Hyde - killed to take the fall for LokSat_

"What are your conclusions?" asked Kate.

"LokSat is cleaning house," said Castle wearily. "Has been, since Afghanistan. He probably thought that the death of Farah Usman would be the end of his loose ends. Along comes Brad Parker, and Bronson, and your team at the AG task force, and it all gets stirred up again."

"What *is* Parker's status, by the way?"

"I don't know. I don't want to do a search from my machine; it'd be like sending up a flare. I might go to the library later, use one of their computers to look through DC newspaper archives."

"I bet he's been eliminated as well," Kate muttered. "So, Bracken's killed. That leaves me, you, and Vikram who know what LokSat is - and only you and me who know it's Reed."

"Who think it's Reed," Castle corrected. "I don't want anything to depend on my Swiss-cheese brain. And it's you, me, and Alexis, unfortunately."

"Now do you get why I thought we'd be better off apart?" Kate asked quietly, knowing that she was dropping a stone in a very deep pond.

Castle looked up at her at last, closed his laptop, and leaned back in his office chair, his face unreadable.

"No," he said. "I don't. Separately, sure, we present two moving targets. Harder, maybe, for someone to take us both out at once. But you forget - together, you and I can avoid that catastrophe. Our joined minds and resources. We may not be a match for LokSat's vast operation, but we can at least fight the good fight. Together."

Kate sat heavily in the armchair.

"All that means is that we'd die together," she said bitterly. "I hoped that by leaving you, I'd draw their fire. That they'd take me and let you live. I can't bear the thought of you dying because of me, Castle."

He shook his head.

"Can't you understand that I feel the same way?" he said. "I can't bear the thought of living without you, Kate. If that means we have to face death together, well, better that than to live knowing you made the ultimate sacrifice for me. Or not knowing at all what happened to you."

He got up and came over to kneel beside her chair; his thumb brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"I told you, Kate. If you have a problem, then we have a problem. This is not just what marriage is - it's what you and I were meant for, to be together, to be a team. It's taken us years to really become one - but now that we are, let's be the best team we can be."

His land line rang and they both jumped. Castle grinned sheepishly at his own alarm, then rose to answer it.

"Castle. Oh, hello, Gina. No, I haven't forgotten...where is it again? Kidding! Just kidding! … Eleven o'clock. Fire ants, right. See you then."

He hung up and turned to Kate.

"Book signing at Moe's," he said. "I never forget where or when - I just like giving her a hard time."

"Never?" Kate prodded. "I seem to recall fire ants being mentioned before."

Castle narrowed his eyes at her. "That was a long time ago. I've matured."

That made her laugh out loud. Then she sobered and said, "I need to go to work. I think I'm safe enough at the precinct - "

"I agree," said Castle, "but I'm going to escort you there."

* * *

They were greeted with a cheery "Hey, Castles!" from Ryan as they stepped off the elevator together. They'd argued on the way there as to whether Castle should come with her all the way to the 4th floor; Castle had won out by simply getting into the elevator with her and taking her hand firmly in his.

"So those issues at home - ?" Ryan ventured as they paused by his desk.

"Improving," said Kate. "Thanks for asking. What's up with the Hanson case?"

She and Ryan fell to discussing evidence and warrants, and Castle wandered over to the murder board. Finding it empty, he took up a marker and doodled on the board. Initials, shapes, his own code for various elements of his own case. He was picking up an eraser to clear it all away when a voice came from just behind his shoulder.

"Something you want to share with the class, Castle?"

It was Esposito, fortunately less interested in Castle's scribblings than in getting the drop on him. Castle gave his usual startled giggle and hastened to wipe off his writings.

"Hey, Espo. How are things in the land of dirtbags?"

"Cloudy, chance of ass-kicking," said that gentleman. "What're you doing here, Castle?"

"Just dropping off the wife," Castle replied. "On my way to a book signing."

Espo's eyes narrowed. "The wife? D'you refer to her as 'the wife' in her presence?"

"Nope," said Castle cheerfully. This was the kind of hazing he was used to. "Wouldn't dare. It just - slipped out. Just like I'm about to. Bye, Espo."

Kate saw her husband slip out, out of the corner of her eye. Once the elevator doors closed she deliberately turned her mind to the day's work, shoving LokSat into a mental compartment and locking the door behind it. This succeeded until lunchtime, when her cell rang with a "private number".

"Beckett," she answered warily - but it was only Gina.

"Captain," she said. "Do you know where Richard is?"

"No - he's supposed to be at a book signing."

"He's nowhere in sight."

"I saw him last this morning, here at the precinct. I don't know where he went after that." Beckett gnawed at her lip, thinking. Gina would certainly have called the loft, but - "Did you get hold of Alexis?"

"No, and no one at the P.I. office is answering the land line, either."

"What about Hayley?"

That struck a nerve. "I don't have her number," Gina snapped. "At any rate, I can't stall this event any longer."

"I'll tell him to call you, if I see him."

"Don't bother." Gina snorted. "Too late to do anything now. Thanks anyway."

Kate ended the call and sat thinking rapidly. What could possibly prevent Rick from going to the book signing, something he usually enjoyed? She tried calling Rick, got his voice mail, tried Alexis and got her voice mail, tried the P.I. office with the same result, then called Hayley's cell.

"Hello," said Hayley.

"Hayley, it's Kate."

There was a moment of silence. Then Hayley said, "Are you at the precinct?"

"Yes, in my office."

"Let's meet off-site, shall we? That place makes me feel a bit claustrophobic. Nothing personal."

"No problem. You know that falafel stand in the park? The one Alexis likes?"

"I do. See you there."

Kate took her leave of her detectives and proceeded at a deliberately easy pace to the park that ran along the Hudson near the P.I. office. Hayley was sitting on a bench within sight of the falafel stand; Kate joined her, asking, "Have you heard from Rick today?"

"I have not," said Hayley. "He hasn't been to the office and he doesn't answer any of his phones. It's not like him. Can you enlighten me?"

Kate said, "I'm afraid not. Didn't Alexis say she was going to install a tracking app on his phone?"

"She did, but we agreed that she'd be the only one with access to it. And before you ask, I did try to hack it, to no avail." Hayley sat back, contemplating Kate. "You say you can't enlighten me. Does that mean you don't know, or that you're unable to say?"

Sharp cookie, thought Kate. "I don't know," she replied. "I saw him around nine this morning - he dropped me off at the precinct. Everything seemed fine. I mean, he's entitled to go off the grid once in a while, but you're right - it's not like him. Not to call, or leave word with someone."

"Perhaps he told Alexis - "

Kate's phone chimed and she saw Alexis' cell number come up. "Alexis, hi. What's up?"

"Have you seen my dad?"

"Not since this morning. I'm here with Hayley - she couldn't track him down either." Kate put the call on speaker and Hayley leaned in.

"Gina left a message on my voicemail. He didn't show at the book signing, and he doesn't show up on the tracker app, either," said Alexis. "I'm on my way to the loft now."

Kate and Hayley exchanged glances. Kate said, "We'll meet you there."


	31. Chapter 31

They met at the door to Castle's building. Alexis asked the doorman whether he'd seen Castle come in; the man confirmed that he had not. The three women proceeded upstairs and found no sign that anyone had been in the loft since Kate had left it that morning.

"Dad, what the hell?" Alexis muttered. Then she turned to Kate, eyes blazing. "Wait - did he use the car, this morning, or did you take the subway? Or a cab?"

"He drove," said Kate, thinking. "Parked in the precinct garage. He has a permit, so nobody would think twice if it was left there. I'm going to call and check."

When she returned to the group, her expression was grim. "His car is not in the garage," she said. "I asked for unis to cruise by the book signing location, see if it's parked over there somewhere. He doesn't have the car's GPS turned on."

"There's one place we haven't checked," Hayley said. "The Old Haunt."

"I called there," said Alexis. "Tommy hasn't seen Dad all day."

"Doesn't mean he isn't there," said Hayley. "There's a back way, I hear."

Kate didn't want to know how Hayley knew about that secret entrance. Castle had probably told her about it in case of emergency. Well, this was an emergency, all right.

"Alexis, will you stay here in case he comes back?" she asked. Alexis nodded. Kate went on, "Hayley, you should go back to the P.I. office for the same reason."

"You're going in without backup?" Hayley frowned. "If someone got in through the back way, they'll know you can get in the same way. Obviously they didn't come through the bar."

"Oh, I'll have backup," said Kate. "Unofficially."

Which was how Ryan and Esposito ended up getting free beer at the Old Haunt and scowling at Kate when she strolled in the front door.

"You shoulda let us storm the place," Espo growled.

"We don't know who might be down there," Kate said. "Or how many. Or even if there is anyone down there. It's a hunch."

"Lucky for you, we trust your hunches," Ryan said.

"Yours, not Castle's," added Esposito. "What's the plan?"

Kate sketched the plan for them, then waved at Ron, the bartender, and went over to the door that led downstairs. It was locked; she had to get Ron to open it - and told him not to unlock it for anyone else but Espo and Ryan. She slid the bolt behind her and quietly drew her weapon, stepping over the two steps she knew would creak.

When she reached the foot of the stairs she paused to listen. If anyone was in the office she might be able to hear something, but if they were hiding in Jim Walker's secret cellar there was no way for her to know until she got to the inner door. She couldn't detect any sound in the office itself, so she cautiously eased down the last couple of stairs and checked the entire room before lowering her weapon.

The book shelf that hid the secret door was in place, no footprints or other disturbance visible. Kate pressed her ear to the crack where the shelf met the wall, feeling a slight draft from the corridor to the cellar on the other side. Then someone sneezed - someone in the cellar - a muffled, but recognizable sound. Castle.

But not just Castle. The dull sound of another man's voice reached her ears; Castle did not reply. Kate stood for an eternity, listening hard, trying to tell how many people might be behind the door, but there was no further comment from within.

Fishing her phone out of her pocket, Kate tapped the key that would send one of her colleagues to the back exit, then turned the phone off and tucked it away again. Unfortunately, the door would creak when she opened it, but she had little choice. She gave her team five minutes to get in place, then took a firm grip on her weapon and pressed her elbow to the hidden panel.

The moment the opening was wide enough, Kate slipped through it and into near-total darkness. Her nose told her that the dust had recently been stirred, and once she stood still for a minute her eyes adjusted enough to make out the long racks where bottles once rested.

At the end of the racks, she knew, was a rickety old desk and wooden chair, the spot where the voice had come from, so she crept along in the darkest shadows she could find until she could see two forms, sitting in the dirt beside the desk.

One was Castle, bound and gagged, sitting cross-legged with his chin on his chest, his back toward her. Her heart sank when she recognized the other man - Vikram Singh.

He was holding a gun, but loosely, and she could just make out his expression, which was one of desperation and confusion. What on earth was he trying to do? He wasn't threatening her husband or himself - he merely sat, staring at Castle, who seemed oblivious to his surroundings.

Then Kate noticed a line of dark liquid oozing down the side of Castle's neck, and she stepped out of the shadows and spoke sharply.

"Drop your weapon, Vikram."

Instantly Vikram was on his feet, his gun aimed directly at Kate, no sign of hesitation in his face or posture. Castle managed to twist his body around so he was half-facing her; he looked grubby and weary but alert.

"What are you doing here?" Kate demanded. "And why do you have my husband bound and gagged?"

"I thought he liked that sort of thing," Vikram said in a surprisingly level voice.

"What are you going to do with him? Or was he just bait, to get me to come here?"

Castle was shaking his head, his eyes on Kate. Vikram ignored him.

"I'm going to give him what he wanted," he said. "It didn't work the first time, obviously. This time it'll work, or we'll have to take more permanent measures."

"What are you talking about," Kate said, trying to keep him occupied while she edged closer.

"The memory wipe," said Vikram. "It's still in the experimental stages. We need someone to test it on - again."

In Kate's peripheral vision, she saw Castle nodding.

"Might be for the best," she said thoughtfully. Both Vikram and Castle looked startled. Kate went on, "It's been hell for him, living with those half-formed images. We can't tell which are memories and which are nightmares."

"Too bad," said Vikram, recovering. "Fortunately, we don't care what they are. We can relieve him of them, for good this time."

"This long after the fact? Can you eliminate just that summer, leave recent memory as it is?"

Vikram looked uncertain for a moment. Then he straightened and said, "The less you know, the better."

"I don't think *you* know," said Kate. "I think you were just told to secure Castle and wait for further orders. That's why you've been sitting here getting more and more desperate." She took a small step forward. "You have no idea what Castle knows. You don't know what your bosses are going to do. Worst of all - you don't know what I'm going to do."

She glanced over at Castle, catching his eye, just as she suddenly raised her hands as if in surrender.

"Look - I'll put down my weapon, and we can talk about your options, Vikram," she said. "You've saved my life on occasion, and I yours. Whatever Castle has done or remembered, you and I can deal with each other, right?"

As she'd anticipated, Vikram took a step forward, which caused him to lose sight of Castle, who acted immediately. Castle tipped himself on his side and kicked out with a long leg, catching Vikram by an ankle and bringing him down. Kate leaped forward and seized his wrist, wrenching the gun from his hands and lunging to pin him, sitting on his back and twisting his arm up behind him.

A muffled cry of triumph sounded off to one side, Castle's victory shout. Kate secured Vikram with her cuffs, tucked his gun into her holster and held her own at the ready as she rose and went over to Castle.

The gag came off with a grunt of pain from Castle, and Kate pulled out her utility knife to cut his bonds as he worked his jaw and tongue, trying to restore them to working order. She kept her eye on Vikram as best she could, and once Castle's hands were free she went back over to her erstwhile tech expert.

Vikram was craning his neck, trying to look around the room.

"I'm right here," said Kate, stepping up to aim her weapon at him. "If you're trying to figure a way out of here, or find something you can use for a weapon, well, you should have done that while you were sitting here with your head in your hands."

Vikram was silent - for a change. Kate went through his pockets, finding only the usual wallet, keys, receipts, cell phone; Castle came over, a bit wobbly on his feet, rope in his hands.

"There's plenty here," he reported. "Want me to tie his feet?"

"Go right ahead," said Kate. "I think we'll leave him here for a while, let him consider his situation."

"They'll come for me," Vikram spoke up.

"They can try," said Castle. "Unlike you, I have the ability to change the code that let us in the back back door. Even if they figure out where you are, they won't be able to get in without making a scene."

Once Vikram's feet and knees were tied, Castle turned to Kate.

"Thanks for coming to rescue me, honey," he said with a smile.

"That's two you owe me, junior," Kate quoted. Castle laughed.

"Here's something on advance."

One arm around her shoulders, he tipped her chin up with his other hand and kissed her, hard. He tasted nasty, of dust and dirty fabric, but Kate did not care.


	32. Chapter 32

When they parted, Castle remembered the lock code and slipped out to change it. Kate stood staring down at Vikram. Finally she asked, "Why?"

He blinked. "Why what?"

"Why did you come to New York?"

He seemed taken aback, as if that weren't the question he'd expected. "You mean, why have I stayed?"

"No - why did you come here to find me in the first place? Why not just let the All-Stars kill me, and probably Castle to boot?"

"I can't tell you that."

Typical denial, thought Kate. Can't, or won't? At any rate, it was only one piece in the puzzle she and Castle were trying to assemble without a big picture to guide them. She sighed as Castle came back and took her hand.

"Leave him," he said.

Vikram protested. "You can't just leave me here alone!"

Castle rolled his eyes in a startlingly Kate-like way. "The lamp is lit," he said, indicating the battery-powered light. "You have air, and a nice dusty floor to rest on. We'll come back for you - once we take care of your boss."

"That might take a while," said Kate casually. "But I could certainly send uniforms to take charge of him, if you like. He's trespassing on private property, at the very least."

"Being held against my will," said Vikram desperately. "Unlawful detainment."

"As a result of threatening an officer of the law with a firearm," Kate snapped.

Castle added, "And unlawfully detaining me."

"I'm diabetic."

Now that was problematic. Castle shrugged and said, "Shall I make the call, or - ?"

"I'll do it." Kate took out her phone and turned it back on, then called Esposito. "Hey, Espo, come down to Castle's office, will you? I'll unlock the door for you. And tell Ryan he can stand down."

When Esposito arrived in Castle's office, he found Vikram, dusty and cuffed, seated on the sofa, and Espo's boss sitting on Castle's desk with her gun trained on her captive. Castle was just securing the secret door.

"What's the charge?" Esposito asked without preamble.

"Trespassing," said Castle. "Unlawful detainment. Threatening an unarmed man with a gun."

"Witnesses?"

"Me, and Castle," said Kate. "I can't make a statement right now, though. Will you take him in, stash him in Holding until I can get there? I have some - loose ends to clean up, in connection with this incident."

"Loose ends," said Esposito, looking from her to her husband. "Right."

"I know that skeptical look," said Castle. "Believe me, a little victory snog would suit me just fine, but I'm pretty sure the captain has something more mundane in mind."

"Riiiiight," said Espo again, then turned to read Vikram his rights. Castle led the way upstairs, where he and Kate informed Ryan of Espo's whereabouts. Castle made apologetic phone calls to his daughter and Hayley, promising to call Gina tomorrow once her blood pressure went down.

Once they were out on the sidewalk, Castle asked, "Loose ends?"

"We need to find your car. How did he get hold of you in the first place?"

"He was standing on the sidewalk outside the bookstore," her husband replied. "Near the side street where I usually park. I got out, asked him what he wanted, I was in a hurry, and he showed me empty hands and told me to get back in the car. Said he had some people I should meet, in connection with my disappearance."

He ran a weary hand through his hair, finding the blood now caking behind his ear. "I should have known he'd play that card. I should have wondered why he seemed determined to keep eye contact - usually the bad guy keeps glancing around, watching for witnesses. He didn't so much as look over my shoulder, which is how his partner managed to sneak up and whack me on the head. Next thing I know, I came to wrapped up and gagged, just as you found me."

"He must have driven your car here," Kate frowned. "It isn't parked within a five block radius - we checked - so he's taken it somewhere else. Did he say who he was waiting for?"

"Just that I should relax, that his instructions were to keep me alive until his 'people' came to pick me up."

Kate thought hard and quickly. "Whoever they are, they must have known where I'd look, and that eventually I'd end up at the Haunt. Either they missed a deadline to pick you up, or - "

"Or it was all a ruse to set Vikram up," Castle finished. "For what? To get him arrested? Is he a distraction, or an accomplice?"

They'd been walking round, trying to spot Castle's car; it was finally found in the parking lot at a diner near the precinct.

"Right where we might come across it, eventually," said Castle, relieved.

"And in a busy public place," added Kate. "All in one piece. Whoever took it, at least they treated the car well."

"Me, on the other hand…" Castle touched the bump on his head and winced.

* * *

Vikram Singh was pacing the holding cell when Kate finally came to see him.

"Captain," he said. "What the hell is going on? Why am I here?"

"You were told the charges and informed of your rights," said Kate calmly. "Have you been assigned a lawyer?"

"Yes, but - "

"Then I suggest you consult him," she interrupted. "You're out on bail. You'll be escorted to your work station, where you will clear out all personal belongings and return to your apartment."

"Are you firing me?" Now he was more angry than anxious. "You don't know what's at stake here. You can't cut me loose now, not when I'm so - "

Suddenly he shut his mouth, as if he'd said too much. Kate nodded.

"I know exactly what's at stake here," she said sternly. "I don't need you to drop sinister hints around. Especially when anyone might be listening. I'm not firing you - yet, Vikram. But I do want you to lay low for now. If you get any mysterious calls or visitors, don't follow their orders and you should be fine."

She turned and walked away. When she got to her office, she sank down on the couch and sighed.

"Hey, boss." It was Ryan, who came into the room and handed her a flash drive. "I uploaded the video from Vikram's interrogation. Javi and I are in top form; I give it four stars."

"You've been watching the wrong reality shows," Kate snorted, taking the drive.

"Are there any 'right' ones?" said Ryan lightly. "Castle okay?"

"He will be," she said. "Doesn't even need stitches. He's getting cleaned up downstairs as we speak."

Ryan hesitated, then asked, "Beckett, why don't you tell us what's going on? I don't mean gory details - I mean, just, we're worried about you, both of you."

"I thought you knew," said Kate, casually faking a light tone. "We're trying to figure out where he went, two summers ago, and it's - complicated."

"You moved back in."

"I was angry and frustrated with him, that's why I moved out," she said. "We've talked it over, and things are better now."

"Amen to that," said Ryan, brightening a little. "We really do care about you, me and Javi. Not that he'd say so, in so many words. Thanks for the update."

Once Ryan left, Kate shut the door and sat down to watch the interrogation video. As she'd anticipated, Vikram was by turns sullenly silent and verbally defensive; he gave away nothing Kate didn't know, in spite of her detectives' "fine form". She sighed and sat back in her chair.

* * *

The woman Kate knew only as Rita sighed and sat back in her chair. She played the surveillance recording back one more time, then saved the sound file to a flash drive and deleted it from the laptop's system.

She picked up her phone and made a call.

"I need you to make a delivery. You don't have to go to the precinct - here's the address."


	33. Chapter 33

The secret lair behind the P.I. office had started feeling like headquarters for a spy op. At least, thought Kate as Castle secured the doors, it had most of the comforts of home.

Including her husband and a glass of wine, delivered as he joined her on the sofa.

Kate started up her secure laptop and slipped the flash drive from her pocket in preparation for plugging it into the machine. The drive had been dropped off at the Old Haunt, according to Brad the bartender, who had called Castle to come pick it up.

Now, as they waited for the laptop to boot up, Kate muttered, "Here's hoping it doesn't fry the hard drive. And before you ask, of course I backed up my data, stored in a location I prefer not to divulge. Yet."

"I look forward to extracting that information from you," Castle purred, then leaned in to look at the screen as she attached the flash drive to the laptop. The computer's audio program started up and they listened to what sounded like a conversation between two men.

An older man's voice demanded, "Why haven't you eliminated those two?"

"Sir, I - " interjected a younger male voice.

"They're walking around, not only free, but getting far too close for comfort. Your 'local talent' blew the taxi setup. And now they've picked up the tech flunky."

"It was meant to ook like an accident, or at least a local vendetta, sir. And they won't get anything out of Singh because he doesn't know anything. He's got 'patsy' written all over him."

"How long do you think that'll keep them busy? She has the NYPD for support, and God only knows what _he_ has up his sleeve. I suspect his father had something to do with the death of your local."

"There's no evidence - "

"Evidence! We don't need evidence. We don't even need a reason. I don't answer to anyone, in case you've forgotten, especially now that the other two are history. The Russian failed - the woman failed - everyone else has been eliminated. Your targets aren't trained assassins, they're

 _civilians_ ," he spat, as if referring to an inferior life form.

"And that requires more discretion than the typical targets," retorted the other man. "If an agent gets killed, people chalk it up to occupational hazard. Even the team taken out by Spider-Man's crew - it looked just fine as a car accident and a random stabbing. No one could ever have connected those incidents back to us."

"No one but her," said his boss bitterly. "She was a born skeptic, and after her mother died she became positively paranoid. Anything that has so much as a whiff of the senator and his crew on it, she goes to red alert. Even now that he's dead."

"And we've played that to our advantage, sir."

"You can't count on that knee-jerk reaction forever. Especially now that she's no longer isolated with her own opinions and theories and fears. Nobody can keep her on an even keel better than her husband, and they're back together. Once again, I'm telling you, take them both out. I don't care if it happens in broad daylight. I don't care how good the cover story is, not any more. I just want them gone. I have more important things to do."

As the audio ended, Kate and Rick stared at each other, minds racing.

Just then, the media player on the laptop started up and a video opened, showing them a familiar face.

"You're wondering whether this is legit," said Rita calmly, on the screen. "It's legit. The conversation was intercepted by your old man yesterday. The man addressed as 'sir' was speaking from Washington; the other man appears to be located in New York. You will, I'm sure, recognize at least one of their voices.

"It's obvious they're discussing you - I thought you should get some kind of warning. If you were cautious before, now you need to be downright paranoid. And I wouldn't let your tech guy out of your sight, either; I don't know what he knows or what part he plays in all this, but I do think he's being set up.

"You know how to find me."

The video ended abruptly. Castle replayed the surveillance audio.

"That first voice," he said hesitantly. "I can't be sure - I think that might be Reed."

"I think so too," said Kate. "What about the other guy?"

"No idea. I don't think it's Jenkins, though." Castle got up to pace. "Whoever it is, why didn't he kill me long before this? He's had plenty of opportunity. What is he waiting for?"

"Do you think your father had anything to do with protecting you?" she asked.

"It's possible." Castle shrugged. "I'm not about to ask him, or ask Rita to ask. I don't want to owe him anything."

"I can understand that. Now, how about Vikram? Why isn't he dead yet?"

"I don't know. He's the wild card here - I don't know whether he's spying on us, trying to help us, or just trying to stay alive."

"My turn for a theory," said Kate. "What if Vikram was sent to capture you and keep you on ice until someone could come and kill both of you?"

Castle smiled grimly.

"I could understand wanting to kill me," he said. "I'm a pest and a liability. But no one has succeeded - yet."

"Well, there's been no lack of trying," Kate retorted. "Listen, we need to agree not to go anywhere unaccompanied, or at least without telling each other first."

"It never occurred to me that someone might ambush me on the way to the signing," said Rick defensively.

"It never occurred to me to send an escort with you, so that's on both of us," said Kate. "From now on, neither of us should take any risks, if we can help it at all."

"You're an NYPD captain," Rick pointed out. "Risk is your business."

"I can stick to the precinct. Desk work, paperwork, captain stuff."

"I could stick around there, too." He gave her his best puppy dog look; it rarely worked on her any more, but he thought it was worth a try. At least it made her laugh.

"Oh, sweetie, we talked about that," she told him, mimicking his words from her first day as captain. "I don't think I could explain your presence simply as my coffee gofer."

"It worked for nearly seven years."

"Gates never bought it."

"I won her over in the end."

"You just go right on telling yourself that." Kate grinned and came over to sit on his lap.


	34. Chapter 34

Captain Beckett had a lot of practice compartmentalizing her thoughts and feelings over the years. Sometimes it was easier than others.

This was not one of those times.

Between her department missing one tech, Karpowski calling in sick, and Perlmutter pulling a double shift (thus being doubly cranky), Kate had enough to occupy her for almost the entire following day, hardly leaving her office except for an abbreviated lunch and the occasional checkin with her detectives.

The day after that, she had a visitor.

"Captain?" said the man, poking his head into her office. "Caleb Brown, PD's office. May I have a word?"

"Come in, counselor," said Kate, recalling the name. He'd been involved in setting up the company whose trucks were used for heroin delivery by LokSat, years ago. Doesn't mean he knows anything, she told herself as he came to sit in the straight-backed chair in front of her desk.

"I understand that most of the charges against my client, Mr. Singh, have been dropped," said Brown.

"That's correct," Kate said. "Mr. Castle dropped all but the second-degree unlawful detainment charge. Neither he nor I thinks that Mr. Singh is a threat to society."

"I appreciate that," Brown said. "May I ask what led you to that belief?"

"Aren't you supposed to be pleased that your client has been let off easy?" Kate was mildly amused. "All you have to do is the paperwork."

"Of course, I'm satisfied with the charges," said her visitor. "I just wanted to put in a good word for him. He tells me he's no longer employed by the NYPD."

"That's correct," was all Kate had to say.

"Is there any chance he might be considered for another position?" At Kate's raised eyebrows, Brown went on, "I spoke to him this morning and he seemed, well, despondent."

"It's your call if you want to get a psych eval," said Kate. "And if he wants to work for the NYPD, he's welcome to apply for any position available."

"Would that include the vacant tech position in your department?"

What was he fishing for? Kate wondered.

"If Vikram applies for the tech position he lost, I will not consider his application," she said firmly. "He's not a threat to society, but I think abducting Castle showed disregard for the law and a breach of trust."

"The fact that Castle's your husband - "

"Yes, he's my husband," said Kate, leaning forward for emphasis. "However, that doesn't sway my judgment. If Vikram had kidnapped anyone, friend or stranger, I would have done the same."

She rose, and Brown rose and shook her hand.

"Thanks for seeing me on short notice," he said with a smile. "And for dropping those charges."

"That was Castle's doing," said Kate. "But you're welcome."

Brown strode toward the elevator and Kate watched him go, biting her lip and thinking, wondering why she had a weird sense of deja vu nagging at the back of her mind. She was still standing in her doorway when Esposito came round the corner from the stairwell.

"Hey, boss. What's on your mind?"

"I don't know," she muttered. "Could be nothing. I just - what do you know about Caleb Brown?"

"Nothing, really. Public defender, kind of - colorless personality. I wouldn't play poker with him - he's too hard to read."

Kate left her office and closed the door, going over to Ryan's desk, Esposito following, and she asked Ryan, "Do you know if the bugs in my office are still operational?"

"Haven't checked since we first found 'em," said Ryan. "Want me to check again?"

"Do you think someone's still listening in?" asked Esposito.

"I just had a crazy idea," Kate admitted. "Unlike Castle, I prefer not to share it until it looks more plausible. Would you check, please, Ryan?"

Ryan took an instrument out of a drawer and went into her office. To Esposito's inquiring look, Kate shook her head; they talked about routine matters until Ryan returned.

"Still there," said Ryan. "Both of 'em. One in the room, one in the phone. Kind of redundant, if you ask me."

"One for backup, in case the other is found," Espo shrugged. "Still active?"

"Yep. Vikram must have forgotten about 'em when he - left."

"Well, it's not like he could collect them with LT watching him pack up," said Kate.

"So what's your crazy idea, Captain Castle?" Espo lowered his voice.

"I think someone else is using those devices," said Kate, equally quietly. "I don't know who, yet."

"You think it's Caleb Brown?" said Esposito.

"He dropped by for no apparent reason," Kate said. "He says he's concerned about Vikram, but he could have said that over the phone. And he knows there's nothing I can do about it, so why mention it at all?"

"And from that you conclude that...he planted one of the bugs?"

Ryan sounded skeptical - almost incredulous - and Esposito was giving her a suspicious look. Kate reminded herself that they knew Brown only as a public defender and were unaware of his connection to the heroin trade.

"Ah, what am I thinking," she said with a sheepish expression. "Sorry guys, I must have caught Castle's overactive imagination virus. As you were."

Kate went back into her office to attack her in box again. She had just reached her self-determined goal when the vague deja vu feeling suddenly resolved itself. She dropped her pen on the desk and sat back, staring at the wall, her mind reeling.

She knew now who the second voice on Rita's recording was.

* * *

Kate could hardly wait to get to Castle, to give him her latest revelation; forcing herself to move normally, wearily, packing up her briefcase, she headed for the elevator at shift end.

When the elevator doors opened, she encountered, once again, Caleb Brown, who seemed to be headed out as well.

"Counselor," Kate nodded. "On your way home?"

"Yep," he said cheerfully. "Spending some quality time with Thai take-out and case files. Might reward myself with a beer after."

Kate smiled. "Lawyer's life, huh? My dad's a lawyer. Done his time in the trenches as well."

"How about you? Headed home?"

It occurred to Kate that, though she didn't want Brown to know where she was staying - or that she was actually headed to Castle's office - she didn't want to raise his suspicions, either.

"By way of the Old Haunt," she replied easily. "I think I've already earned a drink."

"Isn't that...Castle's place?" Brown asked, with probably-false delicacy.

"It's the one place I can get a shot of St. Miriam's on the house," Kate said with a smirk.

"Sounds like your separation's been pretty amicable."

You have no idea, thought Kate. Aloud she said, "At least it extends to free drinks. Good night, counselor," she added as they exited the elevator.

She caught a cab to the Old Haunt, in case Brown had the notion to follow her, and entered the bar with a sigh of relief. Here, at least, she was on home turf, more or less.

More than she'd expected. Sitting at a booth in a dark corner was her husband, with a notebook and pen and a couple of books, scribbling away industriously. After she got her drink she sauntered over to slide into the seat beside him.

Castle looked up, blinked, then grinned and caught her hand in his under the table.

"Kate! Wasn't expecting you so soon. I see Brad set you up."

Kate toasted him, took a sip. "I followed a hunch. You were expecting me?"

"I left word at the PI office for you to meet me here. Guess you read my mind from afar."

"I have a bit of news," said Kate, lowering her voice. Taking his pen, she reached to write in the margin of one of his notebook pages:

 _Second man on recording: V's PD._

"Ca - " Castle cut himself off before he could blurt out the rest of the name, contenting himself with staring dumbfoundedly at Kate.

She nodded.


	35. Chapter 35

"You did *what*?"

Even with delay on the line due to encryption, Rita's incredulity came through loud and clear. Vikram flinched.

"I swear, it all looked clean," he said miserably. "I thought he was working for us. For - "

"No names," barked out another voice, a man's, on Rita's end. "Bad enough we have to have this conversation. We'll get details later. Meanwhile, you're out at the precinct, and your device has been disabled. We can't ascertain whether his is still operational, but according to you, the boss lady has been extremely careful about business conducted in her office."

"Also according to you," Rita put in, "that office is where you reported on his involvement with the company that's tied to the trade."

Even with the cryptic nature of these statements, Vikram knew what they were talking about. He'd been in Captain Beckett's office when he revealed that Caleb Brown had written up articles of incorporation for a waste management company - which turned out to be a link in the chain of Vulcan Simmons' heroin trade.

"We can safely assume that he's aware of your allegiance - " Rita went on.

"Such as it is," grumbled the male voice. The man Vikram knew as Jackson Hunt.

" - and that aiding you in that hostage situation was meant to take you out of the game. Which it has," said Rita. "Not to mention, you no longer have the trust of your boss. Either one."

"He said," Vikram persisted, "that he was being forced to work for the other side. That he was really a double agent, that he wanted to help. It's not like I could check his spy credentials."

"For crying out loud!" Rita was shouting again. "You did check them, months ago. The fact that he came up clear just means that he's better at covering his tracks than you are at finding them."

"Okay, that's enough recriminaion. For now," Hunt broke in. "We need to clear this location. You stay put and wait for us to contact you. It won't be by phone."

"You're coming - "

"Shut up," barked Rita. "We have to go clean up your mess now. Over and out."

* * *

"You think it's Caleb Brown on that recording," said Castle. "You told me he had some part in creating that shell corporation for LokSat, but that was a long time ago. You think he's still involved?"

"Reed would need someone in the legal system, or in Corrections, to make contact with anyone unfortunate enough to end up in custody. Like Salvador Acosta, who was arrested in connection with the heroin smuggling on the cruise ship."

Castle caught her drift. "You think Brown is Reed's man in the field?"

"I think he's LokSat's man. I don't know what his role is - apart from keeping his allies out of prison. Or keeping an eye on them while they're in."

Their eyes met. Castle looked appalled. "You don't think he killed Bracken, do you?"

"It's be a bold move," said Kate grimly. "Then again, he'd have access. And I'm sure there are bent guards at Winterkill who'd look the other way."

"It makes more sense than the idea that Vikram had anything to do with Bracken," Castle muttered. "Vikram seems more like a faithful sidekick than a bold leader. I thought that perhaps he was allied with Jenkins - keeping tabs on us, for better or for worse."

"In that case, why would Jenkins want to ditch Vikram?" Kate frowned. "If he's Jenkins' inside man - "

"What if it wasn't Jenkins who ditched him?" Castle broke in. "What if the person who set him up was Caleb Brown?"

Kate stared at him for a moment, then asked, "Why would Vikram trust Brown, if he knows that Brown was associated with LokSat? However tangentially?"

"Listen," said Castle urgently. "Suppose that Reed is at the top. Jenkins works for him, on the up and up - the Thailand mission, the memory wipe - and Vikram works for Jenkins. Brown works through Reed's, shall we say, extralegal operation, as a contact, an operative, a spy."

"So you think that Brown might have been the one to set up Vikram, to get him out of the precinct. That Brown knew Vikram was, shall we say, on our side."

"Jenkins had no reason to want Vikram out, if they were working together to monitor our progress," Castle went on. "Vikram would have to have a reason to trust Caleb Brown, if Caleb is the one who set up my kidnapping. Brown must have convinced Vikram either that he wasn't involved in the drug trade any more, or that he was under duress and trying to get out from under it."

Kate sipped her drink and thought hard. Castle started putting his belongings in his bag.

"If it weren't for Vikram, we would never have known about LokSat," said Kate at last.

"And would have been killed by the organization anyway," said Castle. "Once Vikram gave us the heads up, we'd be forewarned, he'd join forces with us, and with Jenkins' supervision he could help us take down the operation. Thus my theory that Vikram is with Jenkins."

"And you think that Brown is with Reed, but pretending to betray Reed in order to eliminate Vikram. Take away Jenkins' source for intel."

"Easier than killing Vikram. Less of a red flag to us, as well." Castle rose and offered his hand. "Walk you home, Captain?"

"Want a ride?"

At the sound of Rita's voice, Kate stiffened and Castle's eyes narrowed.

"I don't think we can afford it," said Kate. "Castle, why don't you ask Brad to call your driver."

"Smart," said Rita with a nod. "The last cab you took turned out to be a bad call."

Castle moved slightly away and beckoned to the server. After a brief, quiet conversation, Castle returned to stand beside his wife.

"What do you want now?" he asked.

"We need to talk," said Rita. Kate shook her head.

"No, *you* need to talk," she replied.

"Not here."

"You don't get to choose," said Castle. "The car will be here in five minutes. You can come with us, if you want to talk."

He and Kate went to the door to wait for the car, trailed by Rita, who seemed mildly amused. Once in the vehicle, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"The one place I know isn't bugged," said Castle shortly. "By anyone. Including you."

For a moment, Kate thought he was taking them to the P.I. office - then she realized they were on their way to the loft.

When they got upstairs, Castle unlocked the door and let Kate in, then laid a hand on Rita's shoulder.

"Go directly to the kitchen counter and sit," he said. "Don't take off your jacket, and keep your hands on the counter."

She nodded and followed his directions. Kate leaned on the counter across from her and Castle stood beside her.

"Well, here we all are," Rita said brightly. "Guess I should start. Vikram was told to abduct you," she nodded at Castle, "by Caleb Brown, who works for LokSat, in order to remove him from the Twelfth and its resources."

"Vikram doesn't work for LokSat," said Kate flatly. "Why would he follow orders from Brown?"

"You don't seem surprised at my statement."

"We'd already reached that conclusion," said Castle.

"All right," Rita went on. "Brown apparently told Vikram that he was a double agent, forced to serve LokSat but secretly supporting LokSat's enemies. His story was that kidnapping Castle would bring on some action that would bring the parties together for negotiation, thus avoiding unnecessary bloodshed."

"That never works in my books," Castle muttered.

"Or in real life, either," said Kate. "And you know this how?"

"I talked to Vikram today," Rita replied. "And I've had an eye on Brown for a few months. Wasn't sure what he's been up to."

"And what has he been up to?" asked Kate.

"Still not sure. He hasn't broken his pattern of habits lately, except for turning up at your precinct a couple of times when there's no case for him to pursue there."

"What else can you tell us about Vikram?" Castle wanted to know. "Who *is* he working for?"

Rita looked annoyed. "He's on your side," she told him. "That's all you need to know right now."

Castle was treated to a Beckett eye roll that, for a change, was not aimed at himself.

"Oh, please," she said. "Enough with the cloak and dagger attitude. We have our theories, you have information. If we share with each other we might be able to work through this, together."

"I'm not about to hand over everything I know about LokSat, " Rita began.

"Then act on it," said Castle. "What are you waiting for?"

"Confirmation," Rita snapped. "We don't want to start the ball rolling without verification that the person we suspect is actually the head."

"Whom do you suspect?" asked Kate.

"Someone you'll never - "

This time Kate interrupted. "This is why I'm glad I don't work for the AG any more. Enough with the hints and evasions. Either tell us the name of your suspect, or leave. Now."

She and Castle stared at their visitor, and after a moment, Rita sighed.

"Fine," she said. "Let me lead up to it by starting with Vikram Singh. His handler is a man named Jenkins, whom I believe Castle has met."

"I have," said Castle. "He was supposedly the one who orchestrated my 'mission' to Thailand."

"You don't seem surprised," said Rita.

Castle shrugged. "We had already considered that he was in cahoots with Vikram. What else?"

Kate was reminded why Castle was such a good poker player. He could, when motivated, hide his reactions even from people who knew him intimately. At the moment he just looked - bored.

"Jenkins was monitoring you," Rita told him. "There was a chance that the people who sent the Russian to kill you would try again. Then along came Vikram, who upset the apple cart by starting you," she nodded at Kate, "on the trail after LokSat."

"You think that he and Jenkins first encountered each other after Vikram contacted me about my team?" asked Kate.

Rita nodded again. "They realized they were working toward a similar goal - keeping eyes on you and your husband, watching your enemies."

Kate and Castle exchanged a glance.

"I can't believe it," Castle said to his wife. "Do we actually have information that they don't?"

"Looks that way," Kate replied with a smirk.

"What information?" Rita asked.

"How's that feel, now?" Kate said to her, unable to resist. "People making reference to something you don't know, that could help you break your case. Something that even the NYPD didn't know - until Castle told me."

"Don't be petty. You're the one who wanted to share."

"Maybe, when you've finished your story, we might tell you ours," said Castle. "Carry on."

"Fine," Rita grumbled. "We think that the Russian, the crews that tried to kill Kate and Vikram, and the people who tried to have Castle blown up are all part of the LokSat organization. As you know, Bracken and Simmons were two of the partners in that organization; I've been trying to discover who the third partner was. I have reason to believe he or she is still alive."

"So do we," said Castle. "Are you sure there's only one partner left?"

"No. Also, we're not sure whether there's someone below him in the chain of command who might be gunning for him, trying to grab the top job."

"Someone like Caleb Brown?" Kate said.

"As far as I know, Caleb is a minor player. I don't think he's anywhere near close enough to the top to attempt the climb," said Rita. "I don't know whether he's actually under duress or just a really good actor, but he's just a cog in the machine."

"The heroin trade is still active," Kate told her. "So someone must still be running LokSat. Every time we try to find a trail back to the top, our suspect is killed or just plain disappears. If he's a small enough cog, apparently he gets to go to prison as long as he keeps his mouth shut."

She was thinking about Salvador Acosta, in prison, and his dead handler.

"I don't know why we're not dead yet," Castle said in an oddly casual tone. "It'd be more efficient than killing off their own minions."

"I have my own theory on that," said Rita. "Which I will volunteer freely in the spirit of sharing. I think they're looking for a way to blackmail you, Beckett, into working for them."

That struck the other two silent for nearly a full minute. Then Castle cleared his throat.

"Anyone who knows the first thing about Beckett knows that she's incorruptible," he said. "What makes you think they're trying to blackmail her?"

"Among other things, the bug in her office," Rita replied. "Yeah, I know about that. One is Vikram's, which I know because I've been piggybacking on its frequency."

Kate made a mental note to have Vikram's bug removed as soon as possible.

Rita went on, "There's another listening device in your office, though, and I don't know who's on the other end of it. It's very sophisticated and secure - even my top expert can't get in on it."

"I see," said Kate neutrally. "Should I have that removed, do you think?"

"Up to you," said Rita. "I would, but then, you have your own methods."

"I take it you think someone's hoping she'll say or do something in there that will give them leverage against Kate?" said Castle.

"Think about it. Caleb Brown is small potatoes, a minion, as you say. Getting an NYPD captain in their clutches would be invaluable. Especially one as high-profile as Kate Beckett."

"That leaves me as the expendable one," Castle pointed out. "Bringing me to - why would the bad guys want me dead?"

If they knew he could identify Reed, they'd put a rush on it, thought Kate.

"It'd be a sure fire way to piss me off," said Kate. "Put me on a rampage to find your killer. And in the process, catch me doing something outside protocol to do it."

"Thus blackmail," said Castle. "I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."

"Alive. I like you alive," his wife said emphatically.

"So what aren't you telling me?" Rita asked.

"Back to Vikram and Jenkins," Kate replied. "They knew each other before my AG team was taken out. I don't think their partnership is a happy coincidence."

"What makes you say that?" Rita looked genuinely surprised. Kate felt genuinely smug.

"We've been able to access records of at least one phone conversation between them, a conversation that indicated some familiarity."

"Can you give me access to those records?"

"Not possible," said Kate. "Sorry." _And I'm not sure I would, if I could,_ she thought.

"If we do, will you give us your short list of suspects?" Castle asked unexpectedly.

"Nope." Rita shook her head. "You're better off without it."

"How should we know what to watch for?" Kate protested.

"You're doing fine, so far," said Rita, and rose to took her leave.


	36. Chapter 36

After Rita was gone, Kate sat quietly on the sofa while Castle went round and closed all the blinds. It had become a habit recently, in the hope that it would thwart anyone spying on them, but mostly because it made him feel safer.

He came back round to stand before her and held out a hand. "Did you forget where the bedroom was?" he said lightly.

Kate looked up at him and frowned a little.

"What's on your mind?" Castle asked, sitting beside her.

She shook her head. How could she put into words what was in her head? Then again, this was the guy who got her meaning even when she wasn't sure herself.

"Why you?" she said. "I mean, thank God it wasn't you. But why would they try to take you out? There are so many other targets, easier targets."

"I'm flattered, this time. I think," said her husband. "To think I'm not the easiest fish in the barrel."

"My dad," Kate went on. "Lanie. Aunt Teresa. Martha or Alexis, for that matter, I'm sorry to say. Not only civilians - well, except for Lanie - but people I would fight for just as hard."

She got to her feet and paced to the kitchen and back. "They all have a routine," she reasoned. "When and where they work. Martha at the studio and the show - Alexis at school - Lanie and my dad at work. It'd be easy to eliminate them."

"And Aunt Teresa hardly ever leaves her house," Castle pointed out. "Then there's me. Never know where I'm gonna turn up, where I'm going next. Even if someone could pry my schedule - such as it is - from Gina, last minute changes are way too common in my business."

"Which should make you more difficult as a target, rather than easier. So they must have had good reasons to pick you over anyone else."

"Leaving my ego aside for the moment - " Castle began. Kate grinned and he went on hastily. "Difficult, but not impossible. Consider it as a plot twist. You and I were on the outs, but we'd been there before, so the window of opportunity for killing or kidnapping me was in flux. We might make up at any time. As to the why -"

"Like Rita said, I'd leave no stone unturned, probably get distracted, be blinded by my search for vengeance..." Kate trailed off, realizing now that she was describing a place she'd been before.

"And who's always been here to talk you in off the ledge?" Castle asked quietly. "At least, once Roy was gone."

Kate gulped. "You," she whispered.

"Think about what Reed said on that recording. 'No one keeps her on an even keel like her husband.' Once I was gone, who would rein you in? Or at least, try to," he said. "If they killed your dad or Lanie or anyone else on your list, I'd be there for you, argue, reason, hold you back, if possible. And to have your back when it was time to kick ass. Just like I'm doing right now."

Once again, Kate thought, she'd underestimated him - as she tended to underestimate everyone else. When he said "always", this was what he meant.

"And without you, they think I'd go off the rails and become easier to target," she said, trying to remain objective. "Now that you're not dead, what's their next trick?"

"Take us both out, regardless of consequences," said Castle. "Someone's already after me; they've just expanded their program."

"Well, I'm getting tired of having to watch my back all the time," Kate sighed. "We have enough bad guys to deal with on a daily basis, without the Big Bad breathing down our necks."

"Much as I'd love watching your back...side 24/7," Castle leered, "I don't think either of us would accomplish much that way. You could wear those surveillance glasses you gave me."

Kate snorted. "Like that wouldn't attract a lot of notice. At least when you're wearing them people can put it down to your quirky sense of style."

"Hey, at least I have style."

* * *

"What, no cutesy code word?"

"Funny man. When's my birthday?"

"Hmm, I think it's in July?"

"Yeah, that proves it's you. You always think it's in July."

"What's happening?"

"The counselor has made contact with our subjects. Casual, at the moment, but I suspect he's clearing the way for action against them."

"You get that from the wire?"

"From the horse's mouths," said Rita dryly. "He came to the precinct to chat with the boss lady about his client - the analyst. I told her the counselor was just a cog in the machine."

"What does she think?"

"Not sure. Also, she and Castle insist that Jenkins and the analyst knew each other before the AG team was killed, but they don't say how they know that."

"Too bad I can't put thumbscrews on my son," Jack grumbled. "If he didn't try to hurt me, the boss lady surely would. Do you think they're right?"

"About Jenkins? They seemed pretty sure about him. Maybe you should have a chat with him."

"No one has contacted Junior since the Asia op. He should have forgotten all about Jenkins by now."

"Unless he's part of whatever it is Junior's hearing in his...visions. Junior took out the damn listening device before I could get anything useful about them."

"What's Jenkins up to, these days?"

"I'll check and get back to you. Meet up?"

000

"You have to go now?" Kate had no trouble sounding unpleasantly surprised. "To Chicago? What on Earth for?"

Castle sat on the couch in her office, looking downcast. "It's a will reading. I have to be there in person."

"Whose will?"

"Bill Jordan," said Castle. "He was one of my first editors, back in the day. I can't imagine what he's left me - we haven't kept in touch, the last several years. Anyway, I need to be there in person, tonight, so I have to leave right away."

"Did you consider that this might be a ploy to get us separated?" Kate asked, lowering her voice. Since she and Castle had come up with the ploy, she wasn't actually worried about external forces luring Castle away. Still.

"The thought had occurred," said Castle blandly. "I won't be alone in a car on a deserted road, this time. And you'll be taking precautions, right? I don't know if I'll be able to get back before tomorrow night."

"The guys are coming to install the new security system at the loft tomorrow." Kate shrugged. "Eduardo and Vinnie both know to check their credentials with a microscope, and I can work from home, since you won't be there to supervise."

"I'm sorry about this, Kate," said Castle, and he sounded sincere. He got up and Kate met him in front of her desk, leaning in to kiss him.

"Be safe," she murmured.


	37. Chapter 37

_We have no proof_ , thought Castle as he made his way to the airport. This part of their plan was tedious, but necessary, in case anyone was tailing him. He'd purchased a ticket to Chicago online, called a cab, and planned to check in at the kiosk, then reverse course and get on the shuttle back to Manhattan.

 _We have no proof_ , he reminded himself. His scattered memories were insufficient for anyone, let alone a legitimate agency, to point a finger at Reed. Their suspicions about Vikram or Caleb were just suspicions. The operation currently underway might clarify them, or it might muddy the waters further.

Castle was not so deep in thought that he didn't catch sight of the tail. Instead of heading for the security gates, he wandered into a coffee shop and parked himself with a hot drink and a pastry, ostensibly watching the teeming hordes go by. His shadow hung back, studying a map of the transit system on the wall across the concourse.

 _I can sit here all day if necessary_ , Castle told himself firmly. He got out his notepad and a pen and started to sketch the plot of what might become the next adventure of Derrick Storm. It was only an hour later that his phone buzzed, a call from an unfamiliar number.

"Castle," he answered briskly.

"Mr. Castle, it's Vikram Singh. Please - don't hang up."

"What do you want, Vikram?" Castle asked sternly, but he was trying not to grin and look around.

"Can we talk somewhere? Neutral ground?"

"Sure," said Castle. "How about the Airborne Cafe, at LaGuardia? Main concourse."

"At the airport?" Vikram sounded wary. "Um, it might take me a while to get there."

"Oh, I don't think so," Castle replied. "Seeing as how you're standing less than fifty feet from it at the moment."

His peripheral vision caught the flash of motion, a man spinning around to scan his surroundings. A man standing near, but not at, the public phone bank, and staring directly at Castle as the crowd between parted momentarily.

Castle ended the call, pocketed his phone and waited for Vikram to come into the cafe area. The younger man slid onto a stool next to him, looking both astonished and sheepish.

"When did you know?"

"That I was being tailed, or that it was you?" Castle smirked. "I assumed I was being followed. When I got out of the cab, yours was making sudden moves to get out of my line of sight, so I hung back and spotted you getting out."

He turned to face Vikram, and the smirk vanished. "Now tell me why you're on my tail. You have two minutes before I call airport security on you."

"I'm trying to keep you safe," Vikram muttered. "If that means keeping an eye on you all the way to Chicago and back, then I'm on it."

"Really? Your expense account must be bottomless. You're not armed, so what are you going to do if someone attacks me en route? I haven't seen your hand to hand skills, but I assume you're sufficiently trained. I suppose I should feel reassured."

"Mr. Castle," said Vikram, "I have great respect for you and for Captain Beckett, but you are in over your head. Joking aside, are you aware that LokSat has ordered your death? By any means necessary?"

"I am," said Castle calmly. "Pardon me if I feel safer now than I did when you and your associate shanghaied me on the way to the book signing. Are you ever going to tell me what that was about, by the way?"

Vikram opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again and shook his head. "How can you be so cavalier about this? It's not about me, or you, or even about Captain Beckett. It's bigger than all of us. You're going to end up dead, along with the captain and anyone else who knows anything about LokSat."

"I don't think so," Castle replied. "It's in LokSat's best interest to keep us both alive. I have information that I haven't shared with anyone, even Beckett, about that summer I went underground. I'm sure LokSat is aware of that, and they're more bent on interrogating me than killing me."

"You should come with me. The people who sent me can keep you safe, you and the captain. Your daughter and mother as well."

"My mother and daughter know nothing about the situation," Castle snapped. "They can't be used as leverage, either - they're both under the eye of people who will act if they're harmed in any way."

 _That was only half bluff_ , Castle told himself. He hoped that Beckett had been able to contact the people he had in mind, along with everything else they'd put into motion.

"Now, it's time for you to step away and vanish into the crowd," he continued. "Let me go my merry way, or I'll find airport security and tell them you're stalking me. Should tie you up until my flight takes off, at least."

He finished his coffee and rose. Vikram just looked at him, frustration all over his face.

"If you're not concerned about yourself, what about your wife?" Vikram asked. "Don't you care that someone's gunning for her?"

Castle managed to refrain from seizing Vikram by the collar. Barely. He leaned in and growled at him, "Don't assume anything about Beckett's ability to take care of herself. Or about my feelings for her. You're not very observant, Vikram, or you'd see that she doesn't need me to save her ass. She's done that herself on multiple occasions - you've seen it yourself - and if you think your actions are anything but a token gesture of loyalty, if you think you're doing her any good with your would-be spying, you need to sit the hell down and think again."

He turned and strode away, leaving Vikram staring after him. Probably intending to take up the surveillance at the boarding gate. Well, he'd have some trouble getting through security, thought Castle, fingering the wallet he'd lifted out of Vikram's pocket when he'd crowded him against the counter.

Castle went into a men's room and checked the wallet, finding Vikram's I.D., some cash, debit card, a couple of gift cards. He pocketed the ID and debit card and exited the stall, washed up a bit, then left the men's room and meandered around the concourse vendors for a bit. Vikram was nowhere to be seen, which meant he was either more careful this time or off somewhere trying to contact his handlers.

Castle found a quiet corner and called to cancel his flight plans, then dropped Vikram's wallet in a random trash can and made his way out of the airport.


	38. Chapter 38

For a man his size, thought Kate, her husband was pretty good at disguises. This time, he was dressed as a delivery worker, complete with a square box wrapped in brown paper and a clipboard.

"Sign here, ma'am," he said briskly. "Thank you. You want I should bring it inside for you?"

"Yes, please," she said, stepping back into the loft with her tongue in her cheek. "Just put it down right over - "

She was interrupted by her favorite pair of lips landing squarely on her own, his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back against the door to close it. Memory of the first night he'd done that made her shiver and kiss him back just as urgently.

When they broke apart, Castle grinned. "Honey, I'm home," he whispered in her ear.

"Mmm," she murmured back. "Ready for our threesome?"

"You have no idea." Castle stepped back and started to pull off his coverall. Kate was momentarily distracted, then momentarily disappointed when she saw he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans under it.

"Where's our guest?" he asked as Kate took the coverall and tossed it in the front closet.

"I have a window for time of arrival," she told him. "Don't worry, he'll be here - he still has half an hour to go."

"How about you gimme something to warm up with?" Castle wrapped his arms around his wife and nuzzled her neck. Kate willingly melted into his embrace, then turned them both around so he had a clear view into the kitchen area.

"Mm-hmmm," he hummed, and she guessed that he'd spotted the blue pyramid on the counter. "So where did you stash the toys? Are we doing this in the bedroom?"

"I thought in front of the fire would be nice."

She took his hand and brought him over to sit on the sofa facing the fire - where he could find a handgun tucked between the sofa's cushion and the arm.

Castle tucked the weapon into the back of his jeans and got up to wander into the kitchen. "Want some wine?"

"Not for me. You go ahead," Kate said.

"After that crack about me being a lightweight? I'm not drinking unless you are." Castle grinned.

"Truth hurt, Castle?"

"Let's just say that I want to remember every moment of what I'm sure will be a memorable evening."

"Good save."

They bantered a bit more while Castle made some coffee. Then Kate's phone chimed, indicating an incoming text message. She read it quickly - _Elevator, 1 male_ \- then just looked at Castle and nodded. He took his mug of coffee and the box he'd brought in and went swiftly into the bedroom, closing the door that led into the entry area.

A knock came on the door. Kate glanced around the room to be sure the scene was set and went over to open the door. When she saw who stood there, she managed to put on a surprised expression.

"Counselor," she said to the man. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you, Captain, off the record," said Caleb Brown with a strained smile. "May I come in?"

"Of course."

Caleb came inside and paused to look around. "Wow. So this is how the other half lives."

"If you mean Castle, yeah," said Kate dryly. "It's not where I live. Not any more. I'm just signing some papers, packing up some of my stuff."

"Where is Castle, anyway?"

"On his way to Chicago," Kate replied. "Here, have a seat."

She cleared a place at the table for him; he didn't sit, but he did put down his briefcase, still looking around.

"I thought you two had made up," he said. "That's why I came by. I didn't know you still had another place."

"Well, he said he'd be in Chicago a few days, so I thought, what the hell, might as well enjoy the lap of luxury while I can," said Kate. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No, thanks."

"What did you want to talk about?"

"It's sensitive," he hedged. "Is anyone else here?"

"Martha has her own place, and Alexis has an apartment at Columbia," said Kate, sitting at the table. "Believe me, I don't want to run into either of them."

"Good," said Caleb. "I'd rather we weren't interrupted."

He opened his briefcase and took out a gun, one with a silencer already attached.

"Stand up, please, Captain, so I can check you for weapons."

"What the hell?" Kate shot to her feet. "Caleb - "

"Stand still," Caleb ordered, training the gun on her as he patted her down. Then he stepped back and said, "I didn't think you'd be carrying here in your own - former - space, but better safe than sorry. Take a seat over on the couch, please. Hands where I can see them."

"I don't understand," Kate scowled. "Why are you threatening me? What do you want?"

"I want to be rid of you and your vendetta," said Caleb. He pulled a device from his case and scanned the room with it. "Good, no bugs. Not within range of our conversation, anyway."

"Conversation, about what?"

"About LokSat." Caleb took a position about ten feet in front of where she sat, his gun aimed steadily at her head. "I'm tired of looking over my shoulder and seeing you or Castle fumbling around. It's time to end this 'investigation' - you'd never guess the truth, anyway."

Kate knew that feigning ignorance wasn't an option. He'd never believe her, and besides, she was just as ready to end the battle. But not in the way Caleb hoped. She was about to gamble on his apparent overconfidence - he could have shot her as soon as he was inside, but here he was, talking.

"I'm a pretty good guesser," she said evenly.

"Okay, then. Three guesses," said Caleb with a smirk. "Just understand, even if you guess right, you lose."

"Of course." Kate leaned back and stretched her arms out on the back of the couch. "Guess number one: You're part of LokSat's organization, and you're a willing accomplice."

"That's actually two guesses, but I'll allow it. You're correct on both counts."

"Okay. Guess number two: You're responsible for the death of William Bracken in prison."

"True," said Caleb with mild surprise. "I'm not sure how that's relevant to the LokSat investigation, though I understand he was connected to your mother's murder."

He stepped a little closer. "One guess left. Better make it good."

Kate kept her eyes on his as she spoke.

"Now that Bracken and Simmons are dead, LokSat should be promoting his minions to fill their positions," she said. "I don't know who's in the running for Simmons' drug lord spot, but I think I know the top candidate to replace Bracken in the money laundering department."

Damn his poker face. She could tell he was slightly startled, but at which piece of information?

"Maybe he's reorganizing," said Caleb. "Maybe he wants to run the whole show himself."

"No, I think he's enjoying his retirement," Kate said. "One thing I've learned about being in charge of an organization - the boss has to be good at delegation. Otherwise, he has too much work to do himself. Don't you want to know my choice for the money guy?"

Caleb seemed to pause for a moment of internal struggle. Then he shook his head. "No. If you want to tell me who you think is the boss, feel free."

"Are you going to tell me whether I'm right? Before you kill me, I mean."

She dropped her hands back into her lap.

"I can promise you anything right now," said Caleb. "I'm the one holding the gun on you. I can lie through my teeth."

"But you want me to die knowing that, even being right, I couldn't stop it. Stop you - or LokSat."

"I concede my vanity," he grinned. "Your guess?"

Knowing the location of her clutch piece and her human backup, Kate looked Caleb in the eye and said, "The head of the LokSat organization is Michael Reed, former Secretary of Defense."

His eyes blazed with anger, but he kept his voice steady.

"What makes you think that?"

"You said I had three guesses, and I've made them," said Kate. "You want anything more from me, you have to tell me whether I'm right. That is, if you even know whether it's true."

She knew he wouldn't rise to her taunt, but she couldn't resist making it; she knew that Castle would give her grief for it later.

There has to be a "later", she thought.

"Maybe you're just a minion," she went on. "Maybe you were sent to kill me without knowing anything important about the organization you work for."

"Regardless of my level of involvement," said Caleb, "I will enjoy completing this assignment." He cocked the gun and took a step closer to her. "Tell me what proof you have to back up your guess, and I'll make your death clean and quick. Otherwise, I'll have to inflict damage to various parts of your anatomy until you give up the information. Leave you to bleed out."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Kate shot back.

Caleb fired the gun, hitting the sofa cushion at the end of the couch. The shot was nearly soundless, but the impact could be heard as if someone had punched the cushion.

"What's your proof?" he demanded.

"You're confirming my guess," said Kate.

"Maybe I'm just gathering intel for the boss." Caleb shrugged. "Why would Reed be heading up an extralegal enterprise like LokSat? What's in it for him?"

"Money, and political support. Political support from those who want money to buy their way into office. Plenty of dough in the money-laundering side. And of course, the money that comes in to be laundered is made on the heroin smuggling side."

A startled look flitted across Caleb's face, then he returned to his stern interrogation expression.

"Plausible," he said. "That could apply to nearly anyone, in or out of politics."

"And in fact, he started the organization before he became Secretary," Kate told him. "By the time he was in charge of military operations in Afghanistan he had the drug transport worked out. And the money laundering went back even further - at least as far as 1999, when Bracken was blackmailing three hapless cops in the NYPD."

"Oh, yes, the year your mother was killed," Caleb said. "You put Bracken in prison for that."

If he thought that mentioning her mother's murder would drive that thorn further into her side, thought Kate, he'd underestimated her even more than she thought. In a level tone, she went on, "I have a witness who can describe aspects of LokSat's operations, including the involvement of Reed, you, Vikram Singh, and a man known as Jenkins, whom I suspect is Reed's patsy."

"A witness?" Caleb looked dubious. "Can't imagine where, when, or how anyone would have observed the operation of which you speak, let alone how they'd be left alive after doing so."

"You're trying to figure out, right now, who that witness could be," said Kate. "Whether they're alive, or whether I have some other proof that they provided before they were killed."

"Actually, I think you're bluffing," said Caleb. "There is no witness."

"He doesn't tell you everything, does he, your boss? Guess you are just a minion." Kate leaned forward, fists planted on the couch on either side. "You can shoot me wherever you like. You can try to haul me away for interrogation, though you won't get far. You can threaten anyone I care about. Just remember that I withstood torture and disgrace to bring my mother's killers to justice, and I will withstand anything you dish out to try getting information out of me."

"How long can you stand it?" he mused. "The precinct doesn't know where you are - I know, because I called there looking for you earlier. I have time. And lots of ammo."

He fired another shot, this time actually grazing Kate's right shoulder and thudding into the sofa cushion. Kate flinched, hissed, and clapped her left hand over the graze.

"And of course," Caleb went on, "Castle will never make it back from Chicago. He's the witness, right? If he has any proof, as you say, he'll tell us where and what it is."

"He's tougher than he looks," Kate growled. "You won't get anything out of him."

"Once we get him to the lab, he'll spill his guts," Caleb retorted. "We've made great progress in the field of chemical truth agents."

He leaned a little closer and added, "I find my method more expedient. I don't relish the prospect of trying to transport you to the lab undercover."

"The lab in Boston?" Kate guessed, and judged that she'd guessed correctly from Caleb's scowl. "See? I know more than you think."

"All the more reason you need to be put down."

Caleb's shot went a hair's-breadth from her right knee this time.

"Now," he said, "why do you think Michael Reed is involved in LokSat, and what proof do you have? Besides your alleged witness."

"I can connect you to LokSat as well," Kate said. "Think about that. I have documents that will incriminate you, and people who will act on those documents in the event of my death."

"Bluffing again. I can deal with that - I'm a lawyer. And I have contacts. This organization has insinuated itself in more places than you can imagine. Not just in New York, either."

"Or Boston," Kate said. "Or, say, Montreal? Or Washington?"

"I'm a patient man, Captain," said Caleb. "But this is getting tedious." He aimed the gun at her abdomen. "Maybe we should start the bleeding-out process."

"You first," said a voice from the entry area.


	39. Chapter 39

Castle was crouched in the bedroom doorway, weapon in hand, ready to duck back into cover. As Caleb spun to face him, Kate got her left hand behind her and yanked her clutch piece from its place wedged between the sofa cushions at her back, bringing it up to aim squarely at Caleb.

"Drop it, Caleb," she barked.

The words were still leaving her lips when Caleb fired - at Castle, then swung back around to aim at Kate. She was compensating for his movement, ready in a split second to pull the trigger - when Caleb dropped to his knees, screaming, the gun falling from his bleeding hand.

Kate leaped forward to flip Caleb on his face, planting a knee in the small of his back and yanking his good arm behind him. "Castle! Get his gun."

"I'll get that, dear," said yet another voice, this one female and just as familiar as Castle's.

Rita's boot came into view as she bent to retrieve Caleb's gun.

"Cut it a bit close, didn't you?" Kate snapped, then called out, "Castle?"

Her husband peered around the corner of the office doorway, down near the floor. "All clear?"

Kate said, "Clear. Unless there's someone else lurking around."

"Not that I can tell," said Rita cheerfully. "Hell of a shot, Castle."

"He was aiming for his head," said Kate, just as Castle chimed in with, "I was aiming for his head." The two of them grinned briefly at each other at some inside joke.

Kate dragged Caleb, propping him against the base of the counter, cuffing his good arm to the foot rail and laying his other arm over his head to slow the bleeding. He was glaring alternately at her and at Rita, but was otherwise silent.

"You heard everything?" asked Kate.

"Clear as a bell," Rita replied. "From the moment he walked in."

"Not admissible," Caleb gasped through gritted teeth. "Hearsay."

"Recorded," said Kate. "By a device your bug detector failed to detect. You admitted to being involved with a criminal organization, to the murder of William Bracken, and you've committed aggravated assault on an officer of the NYPD."

"That's enough to put you away for life, or most of it," said Castle, coming into the room with a first aid kit. Handing it to Rita, he added, "Of course, that's provided Reed doesn't send someone to dispatch you in prison like you did to Bracken."

Looking up at Rita, he said simply, "Thanks."

"It was my pleasure," she replied. "As for the recording - it's being duplicated, transcribed, and stashed away off-site."

Rita bound up Caleb's bleeding hand, then secured both his feet and his hands with her own restraints.

"What about - " Kate began.

"I'd rather not debrief any further until this one is taken away," said Rita, nodding at Caleb. "Which should be any moment now."

Right on cue, there was a soft sound at the door, and a man whose face they knew slipped into the loft. Jenkins - followed by a young man who could have been Asian or Middle Eastern. Both were armed, but they relaxed slightly when they saw the situation was under control.

"Did he get it?" Rita asked.

"He did," Jenkins reported. "More later. For now, we'll remove the trash from your kitchen, Captain Beckett."

"He's bound to make some noise," Castle warned.

"Not a problem," said the young man Kate now recognized as Bilal Khan. He leaned in and sprayed something directly into Caleb's face, and in moments the latter's eyes closed and he slumped unconscious to the floor.

"Will we see you again?" Castle asked Jenkins as the two men hoisted Caleb between them. Jenkins smiled slightly.

"You will. Probably more often than you'd like," he replied. With a nod at Rita, he made his way out of the loft with Bilal and their inert captive; Rita went over and closed the door behind them, then lifted her wrist to speak into a comm unit.

"Secure from general quarters," she said. Coming over to sit beside Kate, she heaved a sigh and smiled brightly. "Any chance of a cup of coffee?"

"Is there any more backup lurking around the building?" Castle asked.

"You mean, besides what you two set up?" said Rita. "Let's just say - " Rita began, but Castle interrupted her.

"Enough with the verbal evasion," he said. "For whom are you currently working?"

"Believe it or not, the Attorney General's office. The AG will be responsible for further investigation, prosecution, and action on the LokSat case. Sorry, but the NYPD won't get to prosecute Caleb for unlawful entry and assault on a police official."

"How do you know the AG's office isn't part of it?" asked Castle suspiciously.

"Jack and I have been following this operation since before Beckett went to DC," Rita replied. "We've sorted out a few people we can trust completely, even within the halls of various government agencies. There are four of those people still on duty, watching this building. They were watching when Caleb Brown gained entry, and they knew that I was secreted in your guest room upstairs. Nice decor, by the way."

Castle merely raised his eyebrows.

"My people have also collected audio surveillance from this location tonight, in the event I was unable to retrieve it in person. Is it Lucy or Linus at the moment?"

"Lucy," said Kate. Raising her voice a little, she spoke toward the kitchen. "Oranges and lemons, Lucy. Your speech protocol is restored."

"Thanks," said the cheery voice of the blue pyramid. "Congratulations on taking out the bad guy... Rick."

Kate grimaced. "She still hasn't warmed up to me," she muttered to Castle.

"Our homemade sting went off pretty well, don't you think?" he said to Rita.

"Don't get cocky, kid," she said. "Diverting to the airport was smart - lots of crowds to get lost in, comm interference, and so on - what were you gonna do if you were followed by someone besides Vikram?"

"Was I?" he replied. "I could have boarded the plane and then faked illness, panic attack, family emergency... whoever managed to get on the plane with me could hardly explain why they had to get off when I did."

"Thankfully, it didn't come to that," said Kate before her husband could expand on his options. "We figured that whoever was still bugging my office would hear that I'd be here alone tonight, that they'd take the opportunity to try to either kidnap or kill me."

"And as the alarm company was expected tomorrow, they'd think this would be their only chance," Castle added.

"Still," said Rita, "what would you have done if - "

"Look," Kate interrupted. "This isn't an official debrief. We're not looking for ways to improve our performance, go over different scenarios. You can get our statements if you like, and we're going to want to talk to Jenkins and Vikram and whoever else has been instrumental on this op. But we're done. I'm done. No more demons, no more guilt, no more false fronts."

"What about Reed?" Rita asked. "What if he sends another team to take you two out?"

"That's your job," said Castle. "Now that you have Caleb Brown, and with the evidence we'll turn over to you, you can take out Reed and whoever works for him."

"Kind of optimistic there, Castle," Rita snorted.

"Part of his charm," Kate murmured.

"Fortunately, we don't have to rely on his charm," Rita went on. "Besides the information you've collected, we have the original memo that Vikram intercepted - unredacted - and some evidence from the dark site in Boston, discovered and retrieved by the gents who just left here."

Kate's eyes were wide.

"Does it prove Reed's involvement?"

"Oh, yes. And as Caleb said, there have been advances in the development of chemical truth agents. We'll get the whole picture eventually. Don't worry, Reed's going down."

"Tell me," Kate urged. "Tell us what you can."

Castle delivered coffee all around as Rita began to speak.

"Obviously, when you and I first met, the investigation Jack and I were running had been thwarted by various people in the CIA and LokSat," she said. "Every time we got a lead, they diverted the trail into a dead end. When you connected the heroin trade to the waste management company, and thus to Caleb Brown, that thread gave us independent confirmation that one of our leads had been compromised.

"Then Castle had that sudden recall experience, and it was clear that his kidnapping had something to do with the same thing we were chasing. I don't know whether or why your memory was altered, Castle, but whoever did it was no amateur. They didn't figure on your powers of observation or your memory - and they underestimated your ability to form a plausible narrative from very few clues."

"Should have spent a little time reading my books," Castle grumbled.

"From what Jenkins tells me," Rita went on, "Reed and certain others wanted to simply dispose of you. Apparently someone realized that your fiancee was tenacious enough to go on tracking you down until Armaggedon, or until she uncovered their operation, or both. Jenkins convinced his bosses that Castle's sudden reappearance would be a red herring, that it would divert Kate from her search."

"Complete with a fake campsite," Kate put in.

"Not my idea, believe me," said Rita. "Anyway, the last Jenkins knew, Castle was being taken from the location in Montreal to the dark site in Boston, presumably for the memory alteration."

"Why alter my memory if they were just going to make me disappear?" asked Castle.

"I gather that you were to be a guinea pig, for that and other procedures."

"One they could throw away when they were done playing with it," said Kate grimly. "They must have accomplished at least part of it before Castle escaped."

"And well done on that," Rita said to Castle. "You don't remember how you got away?"

He shook his head.

"In my fugue state, I remember the boat. But nothing more. Too bad - I'm sure I was a badass."

Rita opened her mouth to retort, but Kate headed her off.

"What was Caleb's part, then?" she asked.

"He was originally recruited by Bracken," Rita told them. "Unlike the cops Bracken blackmailed, Caleb went willingly to the dark side. He was Bracken's inside man for documentation and for tracking prisoners. Eventually Caleb was 'promoted' to occasional executions - by Reed, who later ordered Bracken's death at Caleb's hands."

"Holy crap," Kate muttered. "Talk about biting the hand that fed you."

"He's also the one who took out Vulcan Simmons," Rita went on. "So in a way, his actions benefited you. In a really weird, ironic way."

Kate didn't want to think about that. She was reminded of Castle's comment that Bracken's death had robbed her of her own vengeance, and she fervently hoped that she was not the sort to begrudge anyone something as horrifying as murder.

"Were they replaced? Simmons and Bracken?" asked Castle.

"I expect Reed is still looking for someone with the right size _cojones_ to take over their operations," said Rita. "There's a man on the west coast who looks good for the heroin smuggling division. Jack's tracking him down as we speak."

"So it's all going to come out?" Kate asked.

"Select parts of it," said Rita. "Obviously the bulk of the iceberg will have to remain hidden - national security, public safety, etc. - but we'll expose enough to break the back of the organization. The remnants might try to reboot the business, but now we know where to look, I don't think they'll be successful."

"What about - us?" said Kate. "What's our next move?"

"Your next move is not to make any moves," Rita said. "Go about your business as usual. The AG will get in touch with you, Captain, about evidence and depositions and what not. I suggest you stick to the precinct for the time being, for your own safety.

"As for you," she said, turning to Castle, "I have it on good authority that you do what you want, but if you want to thwart LokSat's last gasp efforts to eliminate you and your bride, I recommend you exercise caution when you leave the loft. Your mother and Alexis are still under our protection until we can be reasonably sure no one's after them, or you."

"Thank you." Castle's relief was obvious. "What's going to happen to Vikram Singh?"

"You're concerned about a man who kidnapped you, lied to you and to Beckett, brought LokSat's wrath down on you and yours?"

Castle shrugged. "He thought he was doing the right thing. I appreciate that, though I don't think I've ever screwed up on quite that scale. Ah-ah-ah!" He shook a finger at Kate, forestalling comment.

She just grinned at him.

Rita went on, "He's going back to the AG. After we debrief him to within an inch of his life, he'll go back to being an analyst. I'm sure you'll agree that job suits him better than that of operative."

Turning to Kate, she said, "If this doesn't clean out your demons, I don't want to know what would. I hope they stay dead."

"Me, too," Kate replied. "I have some good backup on that mission now."

She smiled at her husband, who took her hand and kissed it.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Not quite the end, yet._


	40. Epilogue

**_~ Seven years later ~  
_**

Leisurely breakfasts were rare now in their world; the three-ring circus that was Lily, Jake, and Reece came downstairs every morning and brought their own delightful chaos to the beginning of the day.

Castle got everyone settled with their bread and cereal and milk and juice (and coffee for Kate) and glanced over to grin at her. Taking his hand, she smiled back...

...only to be interrupted in her reverie by her daughter's sing-song tones.

"Mommy and Daddy, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

The boys chimed in on the last line ("the spelling part" they called it) and laughed maniacally as Lily smirked into her orange juice. Rick obliged by leaning in and giving Kate a noisy smooch on the cheek.

"First day of preschool," he reminded his offspring. "Remember, we're dropping off Lily first."

"Wish Mommy was coming with," said Reece.

"Daddy's going to drive us," Jake observed.

"Yes, and I will come to see you once you've settled in," Kate told them. "Maybe on Friday."

"Thanks, Mommy," they both said.

"At least you're catching bad guys," said Lily. "Not just at the spa or getting your hair done."

Kate knew that an expensive school came with expensive parents (and children) and she'd heard that comment before. "Everybody's different, Lil," she said mildly. "I think I'm due for a spa visit - and I might get to bring you this time."

Lily beamed at her. For a time the predominant sound was that of munching and slurping. Kate and Rick both made a point of not reading, texting, or doing any task that didn't involve breakfast with their kids, so she didn't retrieve the New York _Times_ from their doorstep until Rick chased the trio upstairs for final preparations.

When he came down alone (for the moment), he saw Kate standing in the kitchen area, staring at the front page of the newspaper.

"What?" he said, concerned at her grim expression. "What is it?"

She turned the paper around to face him and said simply, "Reed."

It wasn't a headline; in fact it was below the fold, but the title had caught her eye immediately.

"' _Former Secretary of Defense passes away in prison_ '," Rick read. "Heart attack, it says. Served six years of a - well, we knew he wasn't going to last the entire term of his sentence." He looked up at Kate. "You okay?"

"I should be asking you that."

He came around the counter and put his arms around her.

"I'm fine," he said quietly. "Been fine ever since I met you. Even finer since you said you loved me. And finest of all, now and every day we're together."

Kate smiled up at him.

"Well, then," she said, "if you're fine, then I'm fine."

He leaned in to kiss her -

"MOMMY AND DADDY SITTIN' IN A TREE...!"

 **~ fin ~**

 _ **A/N:** And we're done. Thank you all for reading, and for waiting while I sorted out the plot twists. I started writing this after the second episode of season 8 and it took so long that sometimes my own story got muddled in my head alongside the story unfolding on the screen. I hope you found some of my theories satisfactory. Happy holidays to you and yours, and many more._


End file.
